Lux Gracen Hathaway
by SagittariusWarrior
Summary: Dimitri left Rose but with a daughter. After 17 years, he and Tasha comes back. Will Lux allow her father in her and Rose's lives or will she push him away like he did to them? Switches POV. R&R Please! Rated T just in case. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING BUT LUX!
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own any of the original VA characters because I wasn't not cool enough to write them first. Mead was and bravo to her :). The only person that i do own is Lux and i hope you enjoy her snarky attitude and personality as much as I do!**

My name is Lux. Lux Gracen Hathaway. Yep, that makes me the daughter of Guardian Rosemarie Hathaway and granddaughter of kickass Guardian Janine Hathaway and Moroi-born, mobster Abe Mazur. Nice powerhouse of a family if you ask me.

Being Rose's daughter means just that. I have her looks, attitude, fighting skills, and recklessness. I am pretty much a mini-Rose if it weren't for two minor details. My eye color and the fact that I can lift one eyebrow and my mother can't. Those were inherited from my nonexistent father.

Not having a father really didn't bother me. I knew I had a dad somewhere out there and that's all I really cared to know. Mom always used to ask if I wanted to know who he was and I refused saying that Uncle Adrian, Uncle Christian, and Uncle Eddie were all I needed. I knew my dad left Mom and I before I was born. Mom told me that much and that was enough for me to not care to find him.

I grew up at Court with my mom, Uncle Christian, Uncle Adrian, Aunt Elena, and Aunt Lissa. Those people were all the family I needed. My "uncles" were like fathers to me and Elena, Adrian's wife of four years, and Lissa were like second and third mothers. When they had children, they were my cousins and I babysat them when I was older.

Summerlynn and Seth Dragomir-Ozera were the middle cousins. With me being seventeen, Seth came in at age twelve and Summerlynn close behind at eight. Seth looked just like his mother, fair hair, jade eyes, and the ability to feel compassion for every person that roamed the earth. Summerlynn was a mini Christian. Her black hair and ice-blue eyes definitely made her an Ozera. Both had the tall, thin body and the pale skin of a Moroi and had even specialized when they were four. Seth was an air user while his sister inherited her father's firepower.

Adrian and Elena's daughter, Katherine, looked so much like her father it was scary. She had the same emerald eyes and messy brown hair that fell into ringlets at the ends. Rine was the youngest of us cousins at age three. She was an easy one to take care of seeing that she inherited her father's laziness.

Babysitting the kids was great, but I had a life outside of my family. Since my mother was Lissa's personal guardian, I went to a small school for dhampirs so that I could train to be a guardian when I graduated in the spring. I had other friends that went to school with me that kept me occupied as well. My best friend was a non-royal Moroi named Alexi Barton. She and I were inseparable since our mothers dropped us off at school when we were six. Every since then, it's been Lexi and Lux and boy weren't we a force to be reckoned with!

This morning, the amazing Lux was to take on the entire school yet again in another episode of, Court Academy. Mine and Lexi's joke made me laugh out loud.

"Lux, you up? You're gonna be late," my mother hollered up the stairs.

My mom and I had a small condo on the outskirts of Court. It was small enough for the two of us but big enough to be comfortable. Personally, I loved it, but sometimes I thought I saw regret in my mom's face when she looked around our little house, probably wondering if she could have done better for us.

"Yeah I'm up," I mumbled.

I hopped out of bed and went to take a shower. When I got out, I changed into a pair of blue jeans and an orange tank top that set off my tan perfectly. I towel dried my extremely dark brown hair and watched as the long locks started to take their natural curl.

My grandmother and grandfather were the main reason for my outrageous looks. My Grams was from Scotland. Short, curly red hair, and lethal, Janine Hathaway will always be my hero behind my mother. Abe was from Turkey. My mom and I inherited our dark hair, and skin-tone from him and working outside.

I snatched my backpack, work-out clothes, and sneakers on my way downstairs. I dropped my stuff off in front of the door and made my way to the kitchen. I inherited Mom's appetite so naturally I was starving.

"Hungry? Of course you are," Mom laughed. She passed me a place that was loaded with pancakes, strawberries, and blueberry syrup. Yummy!

"Thanks. Hey you coming to Aunt Lissa's tonight? Pizza night at six," I asked.

"I don't know, maybe. I have meetings all day with new guardians that are coming in from Germany. I might be able to grab a slice after," she answered.

The thing with my mom was that since she was head Guardian, she had to do all the boring jobs unless we're going outside the wards. Her life, especially after I turned eleven and was able to stay at home by myself, was full of meetings, dinners, and other things that had to be brought to her attention because of her position. I never complained about it, in fact, I loved that my mom was a badass. The other guardians became my friends and I was able to train with them without them getting yelled at by some overprotective mom. (Trust me, it's happened!)

I inhaled my food and ran out the door. Mom left after she served me so I was on my own. I ran to the school to start my day at Hell's Academy. (Mine and Lexi's personal name for the school)

Classes seemed to drag on forever. I half slept through my math, history, and English classes. When the bell rang for us to go to our last class, I all but ran to the gym. I was one of the lucky ones and had my training class at the end of the school day.

After changing into my shorts and sports tank, I jogged into the gym while tieing my ridiculously long hair into a ponytail. The other novices were standing around wait for Coach Croft to tell us what to do.

"We're sparring today so I'll set you up into pairs and you can have at it," he said bored.

I turned to my friend Marshal Winters and snorted, "Ten bucks I can kick whoever is the poor fool I'm against's ass,"

He eyed me and gave me a goofy grin, "Your on Hathaway," he slapped my open hand and we shook on it.

"Hathaway! You and Barnes," Croft yelled.

I walked onto the mat in the middle of the gym and smiled into the crowd. Gauge Barnes walked up and stopped in front of me with a cocky grin on his face. He was a good deal taller than my 5'8" and far more muscular than me. I gave an innocent little smile at him and took my stance.

"Watch everyone! Hathaway might have met her match!" Gauge's sidekick Austin Harrison shouted.

"We will see," I muttered to myself.

Coach Croft stood by to watch, forgetting that he had a whole twenty-two students left to pair up. He walked over to us and stood in between.

"Ready. Set. Spar!" he announced and leapt out of the way.

Gauge went to the offensive while I took the defensive. Gauge lunged and threw a punch to my right shoulder. I easily dodged it and spun around him so that we switched places. Gauge turned and tried to kick me but I caught his foot in my hand and twisted it. He shrieked in pain and then roared in anger.

"You're gonna pay for that Hathaway!" He yelled.

"Then let me have it," I taunted.

He threw an illegal punch to my face. I caught his fist and locked his elbow. His eyes grew wide realizing that he was in deep shit. I punched him in the gut, brought my knee up to his chest while still holding onto his arm. I released it and brought my left elbow into his back with enough force to make him fall onto the mat like a rag doll. I put my foot on his back and bent down so he could hear me.

"I told you to bring it. You obviously didn't have enough to take down this Hathaway," I said.

I stood up and helped Gauge up off the floor. I turned to the rest of the crowd and notice Marshal hanging his head in defeat. Everyone else was shocked. Gauge was the biggest guy in the class and one of the best fighters. They honestly didn't think that I would win.

"Nice round Hathaway. Barnes! No more illegal shots in this class! You do it again you'll be thrown out of here so fast that your head will spin," Croft said.

I pranced over to Marshal who sadly handed over a ten dollar bill.

"Thank you," I chirped.

"I swear I thought he would win!" Marshal said in distain.

"You can never bet against the amazing Lux Hathaway," I announced and put my hand on my hips like Superman.

"Get off your soap box before I push you off," Marshal laughed.

I laughed with him while I ran off to the locker room. I showered, changed, and ran home to get ready for dinner at Aunt Lissa's.

I stood staring at my closet and decided on a pair of jeans, a jade green button up and converse. I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, brushed my hair, and ran down the stairs to see a note on the fridge from Mom.

_L, _

_ Had to run off the grounds for a bit with the other guardians. Might not be back in time for dinner. Save me a pizza!_

_ Love, Mom._

Classic Mom to ask for a whole pizza. I laughed at my mom's appetite and grabbed my house keys and phone and ran off to my aunt's.


	2. Chapter 2

Everyone else was there talking in the kitchen when I got there. Summerlynn, Seth, and Katherine were watching a Scooby Doo rerun in the living room. Uncle Christian and Uncle Adrian were cooking and Aunt Lissa and Aunt Elena were at the island with Sherley Temples in their hands. When they saw me, Aunt Lissa made me a non-alcoholic one and set the glass next to her.

"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked taking a sip of my drink.

"Great! Your Uncle here is cooking up the pizza right now," Elena smiled at me.

"Oh, Hun," Aunt Lissa spoke to Uncle Christian, "don't forget to make one for Rose. Since she's not here with Lux I'm assuming that she isn't coming," she looked at me expectantly.

"Yeah she couldn't make it. She's out off the grounds with some other guardians to check something and said she probably wouldn't be back in time," I answered my aunt's look. I turned to my uncle, "Thank you Uncle Christian," I said in my sweetest most innocent voice.

He just looked at me and said, "Yeah you're welcome. Just tell Rosie that I'm gonna start charging her for food services if she keeps this up".

"Oh of course I will! It wouldn't be fair to let you slave over a hot stove all day and not get any reward!" I said in a fake Southern Bell accent.

"My, my, my don't we have a mini-Rose on our hands," Uncle Adrian laughed.

"You're pointing out an old fact Ivashkov. She's been a min-Rose ever since that kid came home seventeen years ago!" Christian replied.

He pulled the pizza that was already in the oven out and called the little kids to get their food. They ate their pepperoni pizza in silence, eyes glued to the TV. The only time they looked away was when Aunt Elena came by with a paper towel to wipe off the grease that was on their faces. The adults and I ate the large four cheese, mushroom, and turkey sausage pizza that came out thirty minutes later.

Over dinner, we talked about old jokes that they pulled on each other, jokes my mom played on them, and random stuff in between.

"So, Luxi, I heard you kicked someone's ass in practice today," Uncle Christian said. I hated when he used that stupid nickname for me but I nodded anyway.

"Yes Uncle Chrissie I did," I smiled at him as he frowned at me. I hadn't ever called him that but since he called me Luxi, it was on!

"Who was the unfortunate soul this time Mini-Dhampir?" Uncle Adrian asked amused at my little comeback.

"Gauge Barnes," I said plainly.

"Isn't his father guarding one of the Drozdov twins? Bethany or is it Becky?" Aunt Elena asked.

"I think it's Bethany but I'm not sure. That's a Rose question," Aunt Lissa answered.

"What was the time on this one?" Uncle Adrian asked.

'I think it was four minutes and eighteen seconds. Not quite my record but close enough to win ten bucks on it," I grinned. My uncle and I had a chart going. Every time I spared, I got Marshal to time it for me and Adrian and I would graph it. I was hoping to get under a minute before graduation.

"Ten bucks on Barnes?" Uncle Christian asked.

"Yeah, he's one of the bigger and better fighters in my class so Marsh and I made a bet. Ten bucks if I beat him. Let me tell ya, he's gonna wake up tomorrow with a couple bruises," I spoke matter-of-factly.

"Lux! You didn't hurt him did you?" Aunt Lissa looked appalled.

"Not too badly. Just a punch and a knee in the gut and an elbow in the back, nothing too damaging. He'll live," I replied.

"Liss, it's novice practice. Of course Lux hurt him. That's why they call it an ass kicking," Uncle Christian winked at me.

"It's just hard to believe that our Lux has become a dangerous weapon! I mean it feels like seventeen, almost eighteen years now that I think about it, were only three! My does time fly," My aunt got a reflective look in her eyes.

"It's ok, Aunt Lissa. I'm still your niece, I'm still Lux. I'v just grown up a little bit," I smiled at her.

She reached over and laid her hand over my left and robbed circles on it while Aunt Elena and Uncle Adrian started bickering over who was going to clean.

"Christian and I cooked so it's only fair that you and Liss clean," Adrian said.

"We always cook and clean so now it's your turn," Elena shot back.

"I say Luxi cleans," Uncle Christian spoke up.

"Wait what? I don't think so! I'm just here to mooch off of you guys! Besides, I'm the free babysitter for the rugrats," I pointed towards the living room.

"She's got a point," Adrian frowned.

"Nose goes!" I yelled. Everyone touched their nose but Christian who got lost in the conversation. He looked around the table and sighed.

"Oh come on! That's not even funny," he cried.

"Actually, from where I'm sitting, it's pretty darn funny," I laughed.

He picked up his plate after shooting me a glare and stalked off to the kitchen. After his exit, the adults and I burst out laughing.

Aunt Lissa picked up her plate and the salad bowl and walked into the kitchen. I piled the remaining plates into a stack and toted them to the sink. I unfortunately walked in at the wrong time.

"Eww! Kid in the room!" I dropped the plates on the counter and shielded my eyes. My aunt and uncle were making out in front of the sink.

I backed out and ran to the living room and belly flopped on the floor in between the Ozera kids.

"Oh, Luxi! You're missing the show!" Uncle Christian taunted.

"If I wanted to watch you to make out I would watch the videos that are in the coat closet," I grinned evilly at him.

That shut him up immediately and made my aunt laugh. Boy I loved her laugh. It was like bells.

"Oh! There are hidden make-out videos in the coat closet? Movie night!" Uncle Adrian shouted.

"Don't even, Ivashkov," growled Uncle Christian.

That set everyone off in a fit of laughter.

_RRRRRIIINNNGG! RRRRIINNNGG!_

Aunt Lissa reached for the landline that started ringing like crazy.

"Hello, Ozera residence," she answered smiling. Unfortunately, that smile didn't last very long.

"Oh, hello Tasha," Aunt Lissa said. With that, every adult froze and stared at me and then at Lissa.

_Ok, weird?_

The other person, Tasha I guess, was speaking. I watched my aunt's eyes closely. They were locked onto my face so it wasn't too hard.

"When?" Silence. "Ok, no that's fine," Silence. "Goodnight Tasha". Click.

"What was that?" Christian asked his wife.

"You're aunt is coming with her guardian," Lissa said. Her eyes never left mine and the color in her face was gone. If I wasn't there to witness her laughing earlier, I never would have thought that she had the ability to.

I looked at Uncle Adrian and noticed his mouth was pressed into a thin line and his hands balled up into fists.

I walked into the kitchen and stood next to Aunt Elena.

"Who's Tasha?" I asked her.

"She's your Uncle Christian's aunt. No one's seen her in what, almost seventeen years?" Aunt Elena answered.

"Last time we saw her was at St. Vlad's seventeen years ago last April," Aunt Lissa whispered.

I was starting to get a little spooked. I have never seen my family act this strange since there was a Strigoi attack on a shopping outing last year. They were concerned for each other as well as me. Mom, Uncle Eddie, and I killed the four Strigoi and I got my first _molnija_ mark, but it was a close call.

I looked at the time and noticed it was almost ten-thirty. I snatched the pizza that was for Mom off the counter, "I gotta get going. Mom's gonna start hunting me down if I don't get home soon," I turned to my Uncle Christian and Aunt Lissa who both hugged me and Lissa kissed my forehead. Aunt Elena gave me a hug, but Uncle Adrian grabbed my hand.

"I'll walk you home. I wanna talk to my Little Dhampir," he answered my unasked question. I shrugged and we headed to the condo.

"Hey Uncle Adrian, what's this Tasha lady done to get everyone on edge," I asked. I saw his jaw clench and unclench but he answered me in a calm, cool voice.

"She and your mom never liked each other and had a little bit of an argument. That's all I'm gonna tell you because it's your mom's part to tell you what she wants you to know. And don't argue or push it," he cut me off before I could argue that I'm not a child and didn't need secrets held from me. "She'll know what's best for the two of you".

I walked up the front steps and hugged my uncle. The man was more of a father than an uncle and everyone knew it. According to memories, photos, and stories, Adrian was there from the beginning when my biological father ditched. Adrian taught me to drive, ride a bike, swim, and walk. Granted my mom was there too, but she couldn't do it all by herself. I needed a male figure and Adrian was there from the get go. My other uncles, Eddie and Christian, were there for me too, but Adrian was the most dominant. Who needed a dad when you got three amazing uncles?

I let us into the condo and we walked into the kitchen. My mom was pouring herself a cup of coffee with her back to us. I tossed the pizza onto the table and went behind her to hug her from behind. She jumped a little but turned around to hug me back.

"Hey Babe, what's up?" she asked me.

"Nothing much really," I nodded towards the pizza, "It's pepperoni. Uncle Christian said that he'd have to start charging if we plan on making this an everyday thing," I laughed. Mom smiled and turned to Adrian.

"What's up with you, Ivashkov? Looks like you've been through hell and back," Mom's tone was light but the concern crept into her eyes and her guardian instincts kicked in.

"I just remembered that I have homework to do so I'll see you two later," I excused myself and left the kitchen. Only I stopped at the stairs and sat down. No one could see me nor could I see them, but I could here everything.

"Adrian, what's going on?" Mom demanded. She kept her voice at a low volume just incase I heard anything.

I waited for Uncle Adrian's explanation but none came.

"Adrian!" my mom's frantic whisper scared me a little.

"Rose…" Adrian started. "Rose…Tasha's coming to visit. She's bringing her guardian but she didn't say when or for how long," he whispered. He's tone was a mix of anger, fear, loss, and hatred.

"What?" Mom's whisper was pained and forced.

"Lissa just got the call right before Lux and I came over," Adrian said. His voice was back to normal volume but still had an attitude to it.

"Lux! She can't go near them! I refuse to have her near that bitch! Who knows what she could do to her? What both of them could do. I'll see if she wants to go to Scotland with Janine or something. I'll organize for her and Lexi to go to Atlanta or New York for a mini vacation or something," she was rambling and all three of us knew it.

"Rose, listen to me. I won't let him or Tasha get anywhere near her. I'll fill Eddie in and we'll both do our damndest to keep her clear from them. By the looks of it, Christian isn't too excited either. She can stay with me and Elena if she wants. Tasha is staying with Lissa so Lux can camp out here or at our place," Adrian promised.

"On second thought, I want Lux to stay here. If she is moved around too much then she's going to have a conniption. If we just let her live her life like she has, nothing will happen. Tell Eddie and between the three of us we'll figure out some type of system to keep her away from them," Mom said. Her voice was one of authority so I knew Uncle Adrian would listen.

"You bet Little Dhampir. Eddie and I love that kid of yours like she was our own. We won't let anything happen to either one of you," Uncle Adrian said fiercely. I knew he would make good on his promise.

"Thanks Adrian. You know how much this means to me," my mom sounded worn and tired. I hadn't heard her like since the Strigoi attack and I was in the infirmary for a concussion.

"I have to be heading back to Lissa's to get my girls. I'll call you when I find out anything else. Eddie might be in touch as well," Uncle Adrian said.

He walked out of the kitchen and past me without realizing I was there. He opened the door and stepped out into the night.

**Sorry the chapters are so long but I have a lot I want to write!**


	3. Chapter 3

So? What do you think? I hope you love it! - SagWarrior

I woke up to my alarm clock blaring in my ears. I reached over and threw it against the wall and broke it. O well. Who needed an alarm clock anyway?

I got up and showered. I went to my closet and pulled a pair of denim shorts and a long sleeved shirt out and threw them on. My hair was already curling so I didn't do anything with it. I grabbed my backpack and converse and ran into the kitchen. Mom was sitting at the table staring into her coffee mug.

I looked her over as I put two Poptarts into the toaster. She was in her normal guardian outfit with her hair in a bun, but something was off. Her eyes were red and puffy like she'd been crying all night. I grabbed her mug and filled it up and handed to her. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Hey Bud," she called me the nickname that got my attention when I was little. No mother would call her daughter Bud. Then again no other mother that I knew named her daughter Lux either.

"Mom, are you ok? You look like hell," I said bluntly but gently. I might have an attitude as large as Mount Rushmore but I wasn't totally a bitch.

"Yeah I'm fine. I had a rough night," she took a deep breath. "Can you promise me something"?

"Yeah Mom," I nodded.

"If Uncle Eddie or Adrian text you or call you to not go to a certain place, or tell you anything for the next little bit, do as they ask. I need you to listen to me and do this for me please." The look in her eyes told me not to argue and do as I was told.

"Yeah, sure thing," I answered.

"That's my girl," Mom said smiling. She looked at her watch and sighed. "You're Aunt Lissa decided to be Queen today so now I have a meeting in twenty minutes. I'll see you later, ok." She stood up and put her coffee mug in the sink, grabbed her headset, phone, and keys and after giving me a quick hug, left for the day.

I grabbed my Poptarts and followed suit but to school. I was halfway there when I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I looked at the caller ID to see "Uncle Eddo" under a picture of a letter coming out of an envelope. Flipping the phone open I read his text.

_Don't go to school today. Go to your Uncle Christian's or Uncle Adrian's until I say so. Love Eddo._

I sighed and turned around, trekking across campus to got to Uncle Adrian's. I walked up the front porch five minutes later and walked in.

"Luxi!" I heard a little girl squeal.

I dropped my backpack on the floor by the door and squatted down just in time for little Katherine to plow into my arms.

"Rine!" I shrieked. I laughed as she started to talk at full speed.

"Luxi! Awe you hewe to play with me? We can play Bawbies and watch the pwincess movie where the evil witch is aftew the wubby slippewas!" Katherine couldn't pronounce her R's yet and I was secretly glad for that. She was too cute to say her R's.

I heard Aunt Elena laughing in the living room. She was watching us from the couch where the Wizard of Oz was playing on the TV. To Rine, the Wizard of Oz will always be a princess movie. Uncle Christian tried to tell her otherwise and ended up with a pissed off toddler and a small bruise on his face where she whacked him with a Barbie doll. Ever since then, the movie has been a princess movie.

I picked the screaming girl up and slung her over my shoulder and toted her into the living room. I plopped her down on her back and starting to tickle the life out of her. I was laughing along with the tiny bells of Rine's laugh when Uncle Adrian came into the room.

I wasn't paying attention and Uncle Adrian took the chance. He snuck up behind me and started to tickle me. I flipped onto my back and was laughing so hard I couldn't breath.

"Uncle…Adrian…Stop…I…Beg…You!" I said when I got a breath. I felt weight on my chest and saw Rine sitting on me.

"It's the Tickle Monster!" Uncle Adrian roared. This set Rine off laughing again and me the chance to escape from Adrian.

Rine slid off my chest and onto the floor. She layed on her back and the two of us started at the ceiling trying to catch our breath. Uncle Adrian moved to the coach and sat next to Aunt Elena.

"I've never seen Lux wear out so fast," Aunt Elena laughed.

"It's just me. I'm the only one that can do it without a single mark to prove it," Uncle Adrian teased.

"Sneak up on me again and you will," I threw at him a little breathless. I rolled over and looked down at my cousin. "Let's blow this popsicle stand Rine. Get your shoes and we'll go outside," I stood and helped the toddler up.

Adrian looked at me and smiled. "Not that I'm happy to see you Mini Dhampir, but why am I seeing you?"

"Uncle Eddie told me not to go to school. Mom told me to listen to anything you two say for the next little bit so I listened. I'm not in shape enough to handle the terrible two right now so I came here to baby sit Rine," I explained while fixing my shirt that was caught in my belt.

"Ok, good enough for me," Adrian said lazily.

"Luxi! Let's go!" Rine grabbed my hand and dragged me outside to the yard.

We played tag, an invented game of hers similar to ninja, and hide and seek. That game always consisted of my seeking and her hiding. Gotta love little kids.

I was counting to twenty for the fifteenth time in a row when I heard a voice from behind me.

"Rose? Rose! Hello! Rose!" I turned to see a woman with jet-black hair and ice-blue eyes barreling into me. I let out a yelp when she grabbed me and hugged me.

"Woah! Excuse me but what the hell are you doing?" I all but screamed.

"Rose What are you ta-," the woman stopped talking when she looked at my face. "Oh! You are most certainly not Rose! Please forgive me," She looked frazzled but I was getting a bad vibe from the woman. "My name is Lady Ozera, but you can call me Tasha," She extended a hand to me to shake. I refused it and my walls went up when I heard the name Tasha.

"Lu? What's going on?" Uncle Adrian stepped outside and looked at me and then at Tasha.

"Adrian! How nice it is to see you again!" She looked at me. "Are you babysitting for Lord Ivashkov"?

"She is. She's my niece," Adrian informed her. His voice was cold and made my spin shiver.

"Well isn't that nice," Tasha smiled. I just looked at her with a 'don't mess with me' air going on.

"Lady Ozera, your guardian must be looking for you. Maybe you should go find him," Adrian's tone was a dismissal and by the look in Tasha's eyes, she didn't appreciate it too well.

"Of course! It was nice seeing you again," she looked at me, "It was nice meeting you. I am sorry for getting you mixed up with another person. Have a nice day!" With that, she skipped away as if nothing happened.

"What the hell?" I whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Dimitri**

Tasha and I landed at Court around nine-thirty and were hustled off the airstrip. Tasha was ranting about being treated so rudely and I was trying my hardest to not shut her up myself. I was her guardian so therefore, I didn't have the right.

We were escorted to our rooms by a plump, middle-aged Moroi who's name slipped my mind. My room was next door to Tasha's in the guest dorms about two minutes away from Lissa and Christian's house. Tasha ran straight there while I went to the gym at the small academy to work out.

I was punching the living hell out of a punching bag when I heard a gasp coming from the door way. I turned and saw a very pissed off Eddie Castile.

"So it's true. You have returned," he stated coldly. I was confused about his tone but I kept my guardian mask in place.

"Yes I have. Lady Ozera has decided to move back to Court so as her guardian it is my duty to follow," I said.

"Just to let you know, if I hear that you have been near, talked to, or even touched Rose, I will kick your ass back to Russia where you can stay. When you left her, you broke the strongest, most amazing woman I've ever known. Yeah she's back to her normal self, but there is a part of her that you have permanently damaged. If it wasn't for us and her family, she'd probably be six feet under in the St. Vlad's cemetery. You really fucked up, Belikov. I hope that you take my words seriously." By the end of Eddie's rant he was breathing hard and yelling at me. I was too stunned to really say let alone move a muscle.

I watched Eddie turn on his heel and storm out of the gym.

"What the hell was that?" I mumbled to myself.

I grabbed my gym bag and ran to my room. After a quick shower and clothes change, I decided that I should go find my charge. I started off with her room only to find it empty. I then thought of the next best thing: Lissa's house.

I trekked across the lawn until I heard a voice that I knew. I turned to see Adrian standing in front of his front door staring down at Tasha. A little girl about three was standing by a bush that looked just like him. I assumed she was his three-year-old daughter Katherine.

Tasha was hugging a girl that looked familiar. I stopped walking to get a better look. What I saw made me stop breathing. Rose Hathaway was standing there in front of Adrian's house in Tasha's embrace. The only thing was, her face was one of shock and surprise. Then I heard her speak.

"Whoa! Excuse me but what the hell are you doing?" the girl asked. The voice was not Rose's. This girl's voice was a pitch too high to be my Rose.

I studied the girl as Tasha started rambling. The girl had Rose's dark, curly hair and same dark skin-tone. She even had her attitude and snarky comebacks. The only thing that I could find was the eyes. They weren't the right color. They were black. Rose had brown.

"She is. She's my niece," Adrian stated to Tasha. So that's what she was. I wonder if she was really related to Rose or not. I stayed around until I heard Adrian give a harsh dismissal and lead his daughter and the girl into the house. Tasha skipped back to the dorms while I took off to Lissa's I had to find out who this girl was.

"Oh, Dimka!" I heard behind me as I reached Lissa's front door. I turned to see Tasha walking over to me.

"Tasha. I was wondering where you ran off too," I said bored.

"I ran into Adrian so I decided to have a little chat," she replied with a sickly sweet smile.

While off guarding Tasha, I realized that she has a bit of a dark side. She wasn't exactly the woman I knew from our days at the academy.

I knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer it. When the knob turned, Christian stood in the doorway. He looked at Tasha and gave her a smile. When he saw me, he glared.

"Hey Aunt Tasha," was all he said.

I followed them into the house and looked around. I hadn't ever been here before so everything was new to me. The walls were painted a nice beige with white curtains hanging in front of a huge window in the back wall. Brown and white furniture were intricately placed throughout the living room around a plasma screen that was showing iCarly. Lissa and Christian's kids were sitting there watching it.

On one of the walls in the living room were black and white pictures. I stepping up to get a closer look at them. Most of them were pictures of Lissa and Christian. Some of their wedding, them on the beach when Lissa was pregnant with Seth, and one of the four of them taken in a studio. There were a few of the pictures that weren't just Lissa and Christian. There was one of Christian, Adrian, and Eddie on Christian and Lissa's wedding day next to one of Lissa, Rose, and Elena. Another was Adrian and Elena at their wedding and another of them and their daughter. Then a giant picture of the whole gang back at the academy. Christian, Adrian, and Eddie were standing at the back with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders and had their knees up like in a kick line. Lissa and Rose sat down on the ground back to back making the Charlie's Angels gun with their hands.

I thought back to that day. It was an unusually warm March day for us in Montana and the whole crew was hanging around talking about a joke that Rose and Lissa played on Christian. Alberta and I were talking and walked past the group when Lissa ran over to us.

"Alberta," she laughed, "could you take a picture of us for me?" Lissa thrust a bright red camera into her hands before Alberta could refuse.

"Come on Belikov," she chuckled. I had never heard the woman do that!

"Guys in the back," Rose said.

"O Rosie, we wouldn't want to cover your beauty with our amazing selves anyway," Christian teased. He instantly received a smack to the back of the head by Rose.

"Call me Rosie again and you'll be laying on the ground for the picture," she laughed.

"Rose, play nice," Eddie said picked her up and dumping her on the ground next to Lissa.

"Your next Castile!" She laughed.

"Ok! Do you want this picture or not?" Alberta smiled.

Everyone got situated into their posses and Alberta held up her hand.

"Ready? One! Two Three!" She hit the shutter button and snapped the picture.

Looked at this picture seventeen years later, it hurt to see that I wasn't there next to Rose or even in the kick line next to Eddie. But I guess it was a good thing that I didn't. I left with Tasha the next month leaving behind everyone. Especially Rose. Making her see this picture whenever she came over and see me there would have made things worse. If I repeated that to myself that I would have believed it right?

I moved onto the last two pictures. One was a close up of Lissa and Rose cheek to cheek. They were grinning from ear to ear. There was a smile and laughter in both of their eyes that I've missed seeing. I looked to the right and stared.

My eyes rested on Rose with a teenager that looked like her twin. It had to be recent because the frame didn't quiet match the rest. Rose's arms were wrapped around a girl who was hugging her back. They were both laughing when the photo was taken and I could only imagine what Rose said to make them laugh.

I studied Rose's face and noticed that her face wasn't the same in this picture as it was in the picture of her and Lissa. I stared for what seemed like hours until I felt someone stand beside me.

"She won't look the same in that picture compared to the rest. She doesn't even look at that picture too often either."

I looked down and say Lissa staring at the photo. She looked like she was fighting tears or just holding back something.

"Why is that?" I asked.

Lissa snapped her eyes up to me and they were cold. "I don't think now is the time or I am the person to tell you that," she hissed. She then turned her back to me and walked back to Christian who was in the kitchen.

I walked to stand beside Tasha at the island in the middle of the warmly decorated kitchen.

"Oh, Dimitri here is going to live in the dhampir dorms naturally but I do need to find a place to stay. I refuse to stay in those little guest dorms for the rest of my life," Tasha gestured to me.

"Naturally," Christian agreed. I could tell that he was trying to say as little as possible.

Tasha went on ranting about the flight, the layover in Seattle, and her old home on Phoenix. I was about to fall asleep from boredom when I heard the door open.

"Auntie Lissa!" I heard a tiny child scream.

"Katherine! Auntie Lissa's in the kitchen!" Lissa called. I watched a genuine smile grow on her lips as she heard the girl say her name.

"Auntie Lissa! Guess who I played with today!" The little girl from Adrian's house came running into the room followed by her father. Adrian was laughing at his daughter but when he saw me, he froze.

"Who Darling?" Lissa asked. She was bent down to the child's level and pinched her cheek.

"Luxi! I played with Luxi all day!" The kid threw her arms above her head and twirled around.

Laughing, Lissa picked her up and toted her into the living room and plopped her down with Seth and Summerlynn who were instantly consumed with the toddler. When she came back to the kitchen, Elena was following her.

"Well, well, well. This is a surprise," Elena said shocked. She looked at Tasha and me. "Lady Ozera. It's been awhile since I've seen you," Elena's tone wasn't upset just surprised. She looked at me and then to Adrian who nodded his head. "Guardian Belikov," she nodded to me.

"Lady Ivashkov," I said.

"Lissa, I need a Sangria," Adrian sighed.

"Adrian, you always need something," Lissa laughed as she made her way to the fridge. "Anyone want any?" she asked as the pulled a pitcher of wine out and poured Adrian's glass.

Everyone shook their heads so she placed it back from where it came.

"Lux was over at your house all day, huh?" Lissa asked.

"Yep, Eddie gave her a free pass so she came over to babysit," Elena shrugged.

"Well that's silly," Tasha stated. "The girl must be in school to be able to help out with our society." Everyone knew that she was about to get on her soap box about how people need to pull their height in society with Christian saved the day.

"So Ivashkov, hear anything about Katherine's allergies?" he asked.

"She's developed a dislike for A Positive blood. She doesn't have allergies. She's just picky," Adrian explained with a shrug.

"I refused to drink AB for a long time when I was a child," Lissa admitted. "It's just a phase," she finished.

"Only in the Dragomir-Ozera house would there ever be talk about blood types!" Elena giggled.

"Yes I guess you're right," Christian smiled.

Just then, Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He read a text and nodded. "Excuse me for a moment," he said as there was a knock at the door.

I leaned away from the island to see who it was. It was the girl from earlier.


	5. Chapter 5

**Lux**

I texted Uncle Adrian to ask him if it was ok for me to come into Aunt Lissa's house. I knocked on the door to let Uncle Christian know I was outside. Normally I would have waltzed in with all my Lux bravado, something that I gratefully inherited from my mother, but with everyone on edge with Tasha I wasn't going to.

I was pacing around outside when Uncle Adrian came outside with a glass of Sangria in his hand.

"Long day?" I asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Always Mini-Dhampir," he sighed.

"I'm sorry Uncle Adrian," I smiled. I was genuinely sorry for the man. The glass of wine tipped me off that things weren't going all that smoothly and that spirit was winning the ever constant battle that waged in his mind today.

My phone vibrated at the same time Uncle Adrian was about to say something.

**Rose**

After speaking to Eddie and finding out that Tasha and Dimitri had landed almost nine hours ago while I was working, I called Lux. While the phone rang, I booked it back to the condo to changed.

"Ciao?" Lux answered in Italian. I was puzzled by this choice in language but I knew my daughter and knew that she would have a good explanation.

"Lux! Why are you speaking in Italian?" My curiosity got the best of me.

"Perché Zio Cristiano sa spagnolo e Belikov di Guardiano non è qui così alcun russo. Sono la casa del Lissa esterno e la finestra è aperto così ho dovuto parlare in una lingua che non sanno così che non mi capiscono," she explained. **(Uncle Christian knows Spanish and Guardian Belikov knows Russian. I'm outside Aunt Lissa's house and the window's open so i have to speak in a tongue that no one knows so that they do not understand me)**

"No French?" I asked almost laughing as I threw open the condo door and slammed it shut.

"Non ero sicuro se Ozera di Signora Ha Saputo che uno o non," she admitted. **(I was ot sure if Lady Ozera know that one or not)**

"I gotcha. Hey listen, I'm changing now at home and I'll be over there in twenty minutes. You and I can go off to the café instead of hanging around over there," I pitched to her as I threw a pair of jeans and a navy blue button up on the bed.

"Ciò sembra buono a me! Sarò fuori a meno che Lissa di Zia ha bisogno di me dentro o Adrian di Zio ha bisogno di me per il sostegno morale. Ha sempre bisogno di almeno un Hathaway si assicurare fa non la perdita esso quando si tratta di essere fuori in pubblico," she laughed. I heard Adrian ask a question in a tone that told me that he knew that we were talking about him. **(This seems good to me! I will be outside unless Aunt Lissa needs my inside or Uncle Adrian needs me for moral support. He always needs at least one Hathaway to make sure he doesn't loss it when it comes to being outside in public.)**

"Ok, see you in twenty minutes," I giggled.

"Ok, Ciao," Lux hung up.

I threw my phone on the bed and changed as fast as I could. I was gonna have a girls night out with my daughter and no bitch or ex- false lover is going to ruin it.

**Lux**

When I hung up on my mom, I was thankful that Alberta made me take all of those language classes when I was younger. Learning Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, and Greek was a pain in my ass, but I was sure as hell grateful now.

Uncle Adrian was waiting patiently for our conversation to continue.

"What?" I asked him.

"Your mother I assume?" he questioned.

"Yep. You don't know Italian by any chance do you?" I asked. I totally forgot that Uncle Adrian knew French but I didn't know if he knew Italian.

"No I don't. I am regretful for not taking the opportunity to learn. Lovely language. No, but I heard you mention something about a specific fire user, his aunt, and a Russian so I knew your mother graced you with a phone call," Uncle Adrian explained in a dreamy sort of way. He always got this way when he used spirit too much and hadn't had enough alcohol in his system.

"Yeah she wanted to know why Italian so I explained my situation. She's coming to pick me up and we're spending dinner of at the café," I shrugged.

"Adrian Ivashkov!" We both flinched at Lady Ozera's voice, "Why don't you bring that lovely little baby sitter of yours in here so that we may meet her!"

"This should be fun," I huffed sarcastically.

"Only if you want it to be Mini-Dhampir," Uncle Adrian smiled. The mischievous glint in his eye made me take the comment as an unspoken permission slip to do whatever I wanted to do to Little Miss Lady Ozera.

"After you _Lord Ivashkov_," I bowed at the door and spoke in a totally fake British accent loud enough for people to hear through the screen in the open window.

Uncle Adrian followed along and waltzed into the house. He marched into the kitchen with his nose stuck in the air. Place a crown on his head and he could pull off the snobby, royal stereotype.

I danced behind him into the kitchen where he cleared his throat.

"Lady Ozera. Guardian Belikov. Announcing Miss Lux Gracen Hathaway," Uncle Adrian was standing stock still with a serious look on his face.

I did a ballet turn and stopped right in front of the two adults. I dipped into a deep curtsy, turned my head enough to catch Aunt Lissa's eye and wink at her, and watch her struggle to stifle a laugh.

"Oh! Miss Hathaway, you don't need to curtsy to me," Lady Ozera laughed modestly.

I stood straight up and looked her straight in the eye. "Why yes Ma'am I do! My mama taught me better than to run up to people and grab them. She also taught me to treat royals with the up most respect," I informed her in my Southern Bell accent. To tell you the truth, Mom told me to treat only certain royals, the royals not in my family, with respect. Since Tasha was not in my family nor was she a royal here at Court, she was up for ridicule. She just didn't have to know.

Lady Ozera's face paled when I spoke. Only when it registered that I bashed her did her face turned bright red in anger and embarrassment. Uncle Adrian was silent behind me, but all hope was lost for the rest of the adults in the room minus Belikov. Everyone was trying, and failing miserably, to keep the smiles off of their faces and the laughter in their throats.

"And who, Miss Hathaway," Lady Ozera demanded barely keeping her voice at a normal volume, "is this mother of yours?"

Now, to make this work perfectly, I had to time my entrance just as my mother's car came pulling up into the driveway. As Uncle Adrian made my very load announcement, my mother walked into the opened door and hid behind the wall that was shared with the kitchen's sidewall. So when Lady Ozera asked her rude and nosy question, my mom could make her entrance.

I stepped back next to Uncle Adrian and Aunt Lissa just as Mom cart wheeled into the room and jumped to her feet while a huge smiled was on her face. She looked like the royal fool from a really bad medieval movie.

"Rosemarie Hathaway. Mother of Lux Gracen Hathaway. Guardian at Court. Personal Guardian for Queen Vasalisa Dragomir-Ozera. At your service. My Lady," Mom finished with an elegant bow which promptly followed by applause by everyone minus Belikov and Lady Ozera. I myself stood next to my mom and we took our final bow.

Straitening up out of our bows, I got a good look at both Belikov's and Lady Ozera's faces. Lady Ozera was fuming. Looking between my mother and me, I could have sworn I could see her make the genetic connections. I smiled and took pride in the fact that she could see every piece of Rosemarie Hathaway in me and her reaction which was pure dislike, almost a hatred. Her hands balled up into fists and her whole body started to shake violently.

Belikov on the other hand, was shocked into silence. He just stared at Mom like she was a ghost or a prized possession that was lost and had made its way back to him. His eyes didn't stay on her though. His gaze slowly landed on me. I averted me eyes to Uncle Christian who was making a comment to Mom before the staring made me too fidgety.

"Like mother, like daughter eh Rosie? Always the performing Hathaways," Uncle Christian laughed.

"Hell yeah, Sparky! We're better than any circus act! You should know since you were the performing monkey in one before Lissa freed you from your cage," Mom shot back, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. "And one more thing, don't call me Rosie," she ordered with a little bit of her evil tone lacing her words. I laughed out loud when Uncle Christian blushed and took an absent-minded step back from being under the pressure of Mom's threat.

"Luxi, would you be a dear and tell your mom to cool her jets," he half begged.

"I will whenever you pronounce my name right," I sighed. To finish off my expression on looking bored, I waved a hand at him as if he wasn't worth my time. This got me a laugh from Adrian.

"Definitely like her mother," Uncle Adrian said. His eyes were full of love for Mom and me.

"My, Rose, haven't you just been a busy little bee. I mean, raising a daughter and working. It must have been hard to get your feet firm," Lady Ozera acted sympathetic. I immediately got bad vibes again and tensed.

"Yes Lady Ozera," Mom stated in full on guardian mode now, "it was hard but I wouldn't trade it for the world".

"Of course not," Lady Ozera giggled. "If you don't mind me asking, who is her father? I didn't hear you mention that you were married during your thorough introduction," she smiled in a way that looked…smug?

Everyone around me froze. Adrian and Elena stared at Lady Ozera as if she just smacked a young child. Lissa looked at Rose with concern and honest sympathy. Christian looked between Mom and Lady Ozera and was ready to take down anyone who moved. Mom, she stood perfectly still and glared at Lady Ozera. I stood there fuming. How dare she ask such a personal question? I know I don't even know who my father is but at least I don't as point blank in public. So, in true Lux fashion, I walked right up to her.

"If my mother wanted you to know who my father was, she would have told you already. I, for one, think that if you don't already know the answer that you would have the respect to keep your mouth shut and not ask such a personal question in public, or better yet, not at all. Seeing as you're a royal, I would have thought that you would have enough decorum to restrain yourself from asking. Obviously I was mistaken," I was breathing hard from my little rant and Mom's presence behind me reminded me that I was only a seventeen year old and had to respect royals whether they deserved it or not. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Mom and I have a dinner date to be late for." Turning on my heel, I marched out of the door with Mom right on my heels. Behind us, we left behind a stunned family, a pissed off Lady, and a dumbstruck guardian. Awesome.


	6. Chapter 6

**Dimitri**

I flinched just like everyone else when the door slammed behind Rose and Lux. I sat there in my chair staring at the door where they made their exit, my mind reeling. Rose had a daughter. A teenage daughter! She must have found someone to fill my spot soon after I left. But God she looked familiar! She had Rose's long, dark, wavy hair, her facial features, and her height. They had the same taste in clothes. Lux had also inherited Rose's attitude and wit. I hope that Lux doesn't go to St. Vlad's like Rose did or the teachers may never survive.

But something bugged me about Lux's appearance. She wasn't all Rose and the things that I saw that didn't come from Rose were so familiar that I couldn't place where they came from. Her high cheekbones, her black eyes, she even could cock an eyebrow. It was one thing that Rose just couldn't do. The only thing that came to my mind when I looked at Lux besides Rose and Viktoria, which was weird. There was no reasonable explanation for that line of thinking.

I was pulled out of my revere when Tasha finally spoke. I realized that no one had said a word after the Hathaways made their exit.

"Well I never! I have never been spoken to so disrespectfully since Tatiana was Queen! That little tramp! How dare she?"

"Whoa!" Christian exclaimed. He didn't look so friendly anymore which made me curious. "Tasha! That tramp is my goddaughter! Rose and Lux are family to Lissa, the kids, and I. If you disrespect them by calling them things like that, you are disrespecting me." He stood stock still in front of Tasha was a firm set in his mouth and his arms crossed. I haven't seen him this mad in a long time.

"That language being used when my kids are in the next room will not be tolerated either. Really, Tasha, those two kids in there are your great niece and nephew! How can you be a role model for them if you talk like that in front of them?" Lissa asked. She was just as mad as Christian.

Elena stepped forward, which surprised us. "If you ask me Lady Ozera, I'm proud of Lux for telling you off. From your attitude, maybe she should do it more often and then you'll get used to the idea of being put in your place." That woman had some guts because Tasha was able to handle being scolded by her nephew and his wife, but Elena? She was just a normal Moroi to Tasha and being yelled at by a normal, non-royal Moroi was enough to set her teeth on edge.

Tasha surprised me though. She stood up from her seat and stormed out of the house. She was probably going to go blow off some steam, which made me feel sorry for the trees that were about to be ashes.

I decided that I didn't need to be here. I nodded to everyone on my way out of the door. I had no idea where I was going, but while walking, I thought about what had just happened in Lissa's kitchen. Everyone had a hostile look when they looked at me, and a pissed off one when it came to Tasha. Rose had grown up, graduated, and had a daughter. The daughter, Lux, stood up for Rose when Tasha asked about her father. She and Rose looked like he was the scum of the earth when the word was brought up. That thought made me more curious and made me yearn to help them out and be for them even more.

I stopped walking and noticed that I had come to the corner of the street with a small café. I smiled at the home-like feel of the establishment and I walked in.


	7. Chapter 7

**So thanks to all of the reviews, I wrote up this chapter and I hope that you guys love it! -SagWarrior**

**Rose**

I smiled as I followed Lux out of Lissa's house and into the Mustang. I was proud of her for sticking up for herself and me, but my pride in my daughter would have to take the back sit until I scold her for using that tone to a royal. I raised her better than that.

When we were in the car and I had backed out, I looked over at her. I smiled at what I saw. Lux had her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes were pierced the pavement out in front of the car. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line and her guardian mask was shifting in and out of existence. She looked so much like her father but with my attitude and temper.

"Just for the record," I started. She looked over at me, "you talk to a royal, bitch or not, like that again, and your ass is mine." My mother voice was scolding, but not accusing or harsh.

Lux stared at me and her mouth popped open," Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed. "She runs up to me and hugs me while calling me Rose, she then makes those insanely rude and snooty faces at us, and then she asked those inappropriate questions! What happened to hating the woman and the Rose Hathaway bravado?" she screeched.

"Lux, how do you know that I hate Tasha?" I never had told her about Tasha or my deep hatred for the woman.

"Mom, you talked in your sleep last night. Where do you think I got it from?" she answered me in a tone that said 'you stupid woman the answer is simple'.

"I forgot I did that," I mumbled. "I understand that you thought Tasha was wrong, but sometimes, and now being one of them, snapping at her was not cool," I gave her a stern yet gentle look.

I pulled into the café's parking lot and but the Mustang in park. I watched Lux turn her head and glare at the Jeep outside her window. I reached over and pushed her wavy, brown/black hair out of her face.

"If it makes you feel better, I thought you were pretty kickass back there. Inappropriate, but still kickass," I smiled.

She turned her face towards me and smiled. "About time Rose came back. I thought I lost you there to Mom. She can be such a major kill joy!" She said dramatically.

I smiled and punched her in the arm. I wasn't worried about her being hurt. She was a tough kid and could handle it. She did take a beating from Eddie when he wasn't going easy on her and survived the aftermath.

"Come on, let's go eat! I'm starving!" I grinned. Lux beamed and we raced into the café.

**Lux**

I wasn't too happy that Mom stood up for Lady Ozera, but the food idea was strong enough to push my frustration aside. Mom and I raced into the small café that we loved and headed for our corner booth. Casey, a Moroi and usual waitress, laughed as she walked over to us.

"Well isn't it the Hathaway Girls! Let me guess, 2 cokes, 2 cheese burgers with bacon, and a large side of fries?" Casey smiled and recalled our usual order off by memory.

"That's perfect!" Mom said.

"Okay! Coming right up!" Casey laughed and headed off to place our order and get the Cokes.

Mom and I sat in comfortable silence for a while. When Casey brought back our drinks, we gulped them down and laughed at our eating habits. When Casey brought our food, most of our lady-like ways went out the window completely.

Betty, the Moroi cook, made the best burgers at Court. She was fifty-eight and a goddess in the kitchen. Her grey hair was always pulled up in the way ladies did back in the twenties: short, curly, and pinned up with a do-rag. Her daughter, Casey, was thirty with black hair that she curled with curlers. The curls always fell out by the time the café opened, but her hair held hints of the phantom curls at the ends.

When we finished eating, Mom ordered us two chocolate malts. Casey had just turned to the kitchen when the door to the café opened. Mom and I glanced at each other, but refused to look just in case it was Lady Ozera.

Mom nodded towards the bar and we took our plates with us. Mom parked it at the counter while I went to the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink. Betty allowed me to do this when I got old enough to not break anything. Casey finished with the malts so I brought them out. I made myself look only at Mom because I knew that if I looked around, I might loss it if the stranger in the dining room was Lady Ozera.

I sat down and started on my malt when the stranger sat three seats down from Mom.

"Coffee please," a Russian voice asked. Mom's back went ram-rod straight and I froze. Casy noticed this but didn't ask what was going on. She must have thought it had to do with Aunt Lissa as she knew about their bond. She placed the coffee on the counter and then looked over at me.

"So Rose, isn't Lux just turning into a pretty little woman?" Casey said this at least once a month and I think it was to get on my nerves.

"Pretty is an understatement. She's got my looks so she's drop dead gorgeous. Little? Yeah she is as short as me, but man she is a force to be reckoned with," Mom teased. Her hand went to smooth a rouge curl by my eye.

"I heard! Kicked Barnes' ass and broke Harrison's nose," Casey laughed while leaned on the counter.

"They were asking for it!" I laughed. Out of the corner of m eye, I saw Dimitri straighten up and look at us. "Sadly, I only beat Barnes in class. Hans paired us up so I guess it doesn't really count as an ass kicking. Harrison on the other hand, I broke his nose last week in history."

Mom and Casey chuckled as Betty poked her head out of the kitchen. "Hun, I know both of those boys' daddy's. If you, little Lux Gracen Hathaway, can beat them and break a nose, you should be proud! I know I am!" the old woman half yelled.

"Thanks Betty!" I smiled.

"You've been training her well, Rose," Betty turned to my mom.

"I taught her all I know. What she didn't learn from me she learned from Eddie and Hans. Alberta taught her a little too," Mom said.

"She has some great teachers then," Casey smiled.

"Of course she does!" Betty hollered. "She has a _Molnija_ already!"

"Mama!" Casey chastised, "I know that but the whole Court doesn't need to!"

"You have a _Molnija _mark?" Dimitri spoke up. My mother's face went grim and mine went blank with surprise.

"Yeah I do," was all I was able to say.

"Then you are a lot more like your mother than I thought," he nodded.

"She's a hell of a lot more like me than her father," Mom stated drily.

"Rose, I was just stating a fact," Dimitri said. He then laid five bucks on the counter and headed towards the door. What the hell is up with him?

**So what is Dimitri's deal? Is he mad, jealous, or is he just stating a fact? Find out when I upload the next chapter! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Dimitri**

_She has a Molnija already!_

The words of the café cook rung in my head. Lux, at age what? Seventeen maybe? She already has a mark to show that she's made a kill. That thought brought up powerful memories that suddenly slammed into my mind all at the same time. Rose in Spokane kneeling over Mason's body with the dull sword in her hands. The attack on the school right before I left. She fought beautifully in both instances and had received two marks for her first kills in Spokane. Lux was following in her footsteps, or so it seemed.

I walked back to my room and sat on my bed. I stared at my hands and couldn't help but hate them. They had held Rose, caressed her face, tangled them in her hair, touched her body. But that was when she was mine. Now, she was her own and her daughter's. Tasha had kept in touch with Christian and Lissa and we knew that Rose wasn't seeing anyone, but Lux had to come from somewhere. I then started to hate my very being for leaving her and allowing her to run to some Moroi who gave up everything by leaving.

I flopped back onto the bed and ended up falling into a deep sleep. Only, it didn't last very long. I opened my eyes to see a brightly lit park. Looking around, I saw a swing set, a metal slide, and a jungle gym that I recognized from the Court's elementary campus.

"Belikov," I heard a flat voice say. I turned around to see Adrian leaning against a lamppost.

"Adrian? What are you doing here?" I couldn't help but be confused.

"I'm dream walking. I'm hear to talk to you," he stated.

"Look, if you're going to yell at me like Castille did, then don't waste your breath. I already know that if I do anything to Rose that I won't live to see the next morning," I replied. I wasn't too happy that he was in my dreams and the thought of getting reminded how much I hurt Rose was a little too much to bear.

"At least we have an understanding. Lux and Rose mean the world to us. So I suggest that you don't do anything that you might regret," Adrian said.

Suddenly, before I could say anything, the edges of my vision started to ripple and dissolve. Everything eventually went black and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

I woke up the next morning with the feeling that I had hit a brick wall in the middle of a run. I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it read seven-thirty. I hulled my butt out of bed and got showered and dressed. I walked out of the door in right into Tasha.

"Dimka! I was about to go talk to you," she smiled.

"Well I'm here so talk," I waved her on.

"I was just thinking, maybe we could go shopping today. Lissa and Elena said that they would love to and the guys are coming along as well. Interested?" She gave me her puppy-dog look.

"Of course," was all that I said before she spouted off the time and place to meet up. A shopping day will hopefully get my mind of off Rose and Lux.

**Lux**

"Lux! Get up! We're going shopping today with Aunt Lissa, remember?" Mom came into my room and shook me. I swatted at her to go away but she jumped onto my back and pinned my down face first into my pillow. "If you get up now, I'll allow this to be part of your field practice," she bribed. Mom knew that I had to have a certain amount of hours of field practice to graduate, and she also knew that I loved being on guard duty.

"Okay I'm up!" I yelled through the down feathers in my pillow. I felt my mom get up and hear her leave.

I got up and showered and dressed in durable clothes and pulled my hair into a ponytail. When I went downstairs to get my stake, I heard voices.

"You know that Lux is going with us right?" Aunt Lissa said.

"She'll be on guard so you can't distract her," I heard my mom warn.

"I'll be on my best behavior, Guardian Hathaway." I knew that deep, male voice. My heart skipped a beat when it reached my ears.

I stepped into the kitchen to see Mom and Aunt Lissa looking up at my boyfriend, Jace. I stared at him for what felt like a lifetime. He hadn't changed at all in the last year that he's been away from Court. Jace was two years older than me and was assigned to our friend, Timothy Voda. He had been in Arizona for the past year and now he was standing in my kitchen.

"J!" I squealed. I threw myself at him and he caught me. His strong, muscular yet gentle and graceful arms wrapped around me.

"Hey Bud," he said into my hair. He picked up the nickname from Mom when we started dating two years ago.

Jace and I met when I was a sophomore and he was a senior at the Academy. Hans paired us together in sparing class and after a good thirty minute fight, I won. We started dating soon after and hadn't been separated since. Granted he was in Arizona, but that was a minor detail.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Arizona," I asked. I pulled back to see his shaggy, brown hair, bright hazel eyes, and tanned face.

"I came to see you. Tim is here to see Priscilla so I have this time off," he explained.

"Are you coming with us?" I asked recalling Mom and Aunt Lissa's conversation from last night about shopping.

"If you want me too. I hear that you're on duty today." Of course he did.

"Yes you can come," Aunt Lissa said, smiling. "Eddie can't make it because Mia's sick. We could use another guardian around anyway."

"Then I guess I'm going," Jace smiled down at me. He leaned down and kissed my forehead, nose, and then my lips. "I've missed you, Lux."

I kissed him again and smiled, "I've missed you too, J."

**So? A simple shopping trip? Or is it room for disaster? Will Dimitri like this idea of Lux dating even though he has no idea that Lux is his daughter? Or will he be cool? Will Rose spill about Lux or will it be figured out? Oh the options... **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the reviews! I like the ideas that I'm getting and I like that so many people are enjoying this! Sorry again for the long chapters but there's a lot going on! -SagWarrior**

**Rose**

I heard Lux and Jace catch up as we trekked across the grounds to the garage to meet with the others. Lissa and I were silent so I was able to over hear almost every word of Jace's travels with Tim and Lux recapping on her kickass skills. At one point, I heard Jace say "I love you". It hurt to remember that I couldn't have what my daughter had, but I was happy for her so I wasn't going to let my sadness impose on her happiness.

_Rose. It will be fine. Jace knows that you and the gang will kick his ass if he pulls what Belikov did. He loves her just as much as she loves him. Look._ I turned toward Lissa as I obeyed her. Through her eyes, I saw Jace and Lux holding hands and smiling their amazing smiles at each other. Their auras, what Lissa wanted me to see, were a mix of red, pink, and purple. They were in love and deeply in it.

I turned away and pulled out of Lissa's head. I smiled at her just as we reached the garage.

"Lux, you and Jace can go with the kids and Jace, you drive. Adrian can go with you if he wants. We'll lead to the mall," Eddie said in a guardian fashion but with a bit of tenderness.

"Why can't I drive?" Lux demanded. Everyone snickered at her outrage.

"Because," Christian started, "You drive like your mother so people are going to get hurt, and distracted driving is not good for my kids." This got out right laughter from everyone but Tasha and Dimitri who looked totally lost.

"My driving isn't that bad," Lux mumbled, which made everyone laugh harder.

"Bud, I've seen your driving and to be honest, it scares the hell out of me," Jace said hugging Lux. I also saw he hands wind around her so that she didn't lash out at him. But like me, she didn't use her hands, she used her body. She stood straight up and kissed him, catching her completely off guard.

"Ewww! Luxi that's gwoss!" Katherine screamed from Elena's arms.

Lux pulled back and looked at her cousin, "I'm sorry, Rine. I won't kiss Jacey anymore if you can get him to let go of my hands," she said using the baby name that Katherine used for Jace.

"Jacey, let my Luxi go!" she hollered. Jace let go looking scared.

"Oh of course Ms. Ivashkov! I won't do it again!" Jace took a step back.

"Okay! Are we going shopping or are we just going to stand around here and chatter?" Tasha asked. She was trying to sound fun and light about it, but everyone heard the annoyance in her voice.

After everyone piled into their assigned cars, we finally set off. Eddie drove our SUV and Jace drove behind us. Lissa and Christian sat next to me in the back seat, Adrian, Elena, and Tasha took up the middle, and Dimitri sat next to Eddie. This was going to be a long car ride.

"So Rose," Tasha looked at me, "I hear that you are still single, why is that?" I could see through her façade that she was just trying to piss me off.

"I have other things to do other than date. I had my turn when I was at the Academy," I replied sternly. I saw Dimitri's back stiffen. That must have hit a nerve.

"Well you must have met someone to have Lux," Tasha prodded.

"Lux's father left us a long time ago. There is no need to discuss it any further," I snapped. How dare she poke and prod into my private life? Why not just scream out to the world that I had a baby in high school and that I was, in lack of a better word, a skank? The nerve of this woman!

"Aunt Tasha," Christian paraded in to save the day, "Lux's father is still a sore subject around here. We, her family, knew what happened and that's all that is important. Stop annoying her with questions and please don't go after Lux."

"I suppose you're right. I am sorry Rose," she apologized but I got the feeling that it was a farce. I turned my attention out the window until we got the mall.

**Lux**

"Lux, you and Jace take the kids to the Disney store while we go shopping," Lissa said.

"I saluted her and grabbed Katherine and Jace's hands. "Ma'am yes ma'am." I saw everyone collectively roll their eyes at me. I tugged on Jace's hand and we went out.

It felt like hours that we sat around the store. Summerlynn and Seth had started to outgrow the Disney stuff but Katherine was content there. She sat down in front of the TV at the back of the room and watched the movie that was playing. I sat beside her as Jace took the Ozera kids to GameStop. I was almost asleep when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Lux? Are you still at the Disney store?" My mom's voice came over the phone and she sounded like Guardian Hathaway, not Mom.

"Yes I am. What do you need me to do?" I asked standing up and spotting Jace with the kids. I waved him over and I pulled Katherine to her feet.

"Meet us where we split up in five minutes," she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am." I hung up and looked at Jace.

"Your mom?" He asked.

"Yes. Something's up because Mom is gone and Guardian Hathaway is here," I stated. Jace had been around long enough to understand that this was no joke. He picked Katherine up and led the way. I fell to the back with the Ozera kids in between us. We met the adults and the guardians were all on edge.

"Jace, give me Katherine," Uncle Adrian ordered. Jace handed him over and looked at Mom.

"Elena, you, Christian, and Mia take the kids and make a run for the car. Lissa, take the keys to the other SUV and follow them and lock your self in the car. Don't move," Mom barked. I recognized the look in her eyes. Strigoi were near.

Christian lead the way to the parking garage with the Moroi following. The rest of us knew what to do. We fanned out and tried to look like normal shoppers. It seemed to work because we didn't get any odd looks. It looked like we had avoided any danger. At least, that was what I thought.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ok guys, i added another chapter! I hope you likes it :)**

**Lux**

"Lux, you and Jace take the kids to the Disney store while we go shopping," Lissa said.

"I saluted her and grabbed Katherine and Jace's hands. "Ma'am yes ma'am." I saw everyone collectively roll their eyes at me. I tugged on Jace's hand and we went out.

It felt like hours that we sat around the store. Summerlynn and Seth had started to outgrow the Disney stuff but Katherine was content there. She sat down in front of the TV at the back of the room and watched the movie that was playing. I sat beside her as Jace took the Ozera kids to GameStop. I was almost asleep when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Lux? Are you still at the Disney store?" My mom's voice came over the phone and she sounded like Guardian Hathaway, not Mom.

"Yes I am. What do you need me to do?" I asked standing up and spotting Jace with the kids. I waved him over and I pulled Katherine to her feet.

"Meet us where we split up in five minutes," she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am." I hung up and looked at Jace.

"Your mom?" He asked.

"Yes. Something's up because Mom is gone and Guardian Hathaway is here," I stated. Jace had been around long enough to understand that this was no joke. He picked Katherine up and led the way. I fell to the back with the Ozera kids in between us. We met the adults and the guardians were all on edge.

"Jace, give me Katherine," Uncle Adrian ordered. Jace handed him over and looked at Mom.

"Elena, you, Christian, and Mia take the kids and make a run for the car. Lissa, take the keys to the other SUV and follow them and lock your self in the car. Don't move," Mom barked. I recognized the look in her eyes. Strigoi were near.

Christian lead the way to the parking garage with the Moroi following. The rest of us knew what to do. We fanned out and tried to look like normal shoppers. It seemed to work because we didn't get any odd looks. It looked like we had avoided any danger. At least, that was what I thought.

When we got to the garage, everyone ran to the car. Mom and I lead the group with Jace right behind me, and Eddie and Dimitri hot on his heels. We were almost to the cars when a scream rang out. Mom and I turned just in time to see Eddie staking a Strigoi that wanted to make a surprise attack on Mom.

Three more Strigoi seemed to come out of nowhere and were advancing on Mom, Jace, and I. I caught sight of two more going to Eddie and Dimitri. My stake was in my hand in a flash and I braced myself. The Strigoi coming at me was a dhampir before she was turned. She was fast, lethal, and kind of scary looking. She had to be my height, but she had more muscle. She lunged forward and barely missed my right shoulder with her fist. I dodged another blow to the head, but was kicked in the knee. It buckled and I fell to the ground.

The Strigoi cackled at me. "Little Lux Hathaway! You'll be a delightful addition to our ranks."

"Go to hell!" I yelled. I jumped to my feet and the dance resumed. We both took and landed blows, no one really getting anywhere. I was wearing out and it looked like she was too. This was going to get ugly soon if I didn't kill this Strigoi was really good at blocking any entry to her heart. I had to fight just to scratch her skin which, as much satisfaction as I got from hearing her scream in outrage and pain, didn't do anything but piss her off and make me work harder.

Beside me, Mom had staked her Strigoi and was working on another that seemed to come out of the wood works. Jace and Eddie had tag teamed on one really big, male Strigoi that had to be a dhampir before he was turned. His muscles and movements told everyone that little detail. Dimitri was working on his own Strigoi and was winning. Figures since everyone held him on a pedestal.

I turned my attention back to my opponent. Unfortunately, it was at a bad time. I turned back just in time to get an open-handed smack to the left side of my face. I flew about three feet before I hit a mini van. Thankful that the alarm didn't go off, I jumped to my feet as stars danced in my vision. I'd be lucky if I didn't get a concussion from that.

I charged the Strigoi and engaged in the fight again. This time, I pulled the same thing I did with Gauge Barnes in class. When she swung out again, I caught her arm and locked the elbow. I didn't waste anytime. I flipped her over locked her shoulder under my foot. My knee went to her stomach and I staked her easily. I pulled out the stake and looked around. I didn't see any more Strigoi that were waiting in the wings so I did something totally uncharacteristic of me: I ran to the Moroi.

I raced to the SUV with Aunt Lissa as fast as I could. I smacked my hand to the window to get her to open it up. Aunt Lissa jumped at the sound of limbs on glass and gave me a scared look.

"Aunt Lissa open up!" I screamed. I felt my heart pumping loudly in my ears and I needed a break. My voice brought her out of her trance and she hit the button that unlocked the car. I flung open the car door when a cold, strong hand wrapped itself around my ankle.

"Lux!" Aunt Lissa screamed as she scrambled to grab my hand. I screamed at the top of my lungs and the hand around my ankle yanked me out of the car. My reflexes surprised me by slamming the car door to protect Lissa as I fell the concrete.

"That, Little Warrior, was my sister," the Strigoi that held my ankle said in a deadly and calm voice. I turned to see a man that looked like he came from the seventeen hundreds glaring at me. He was bigger than his sister and I knew that the fight was going to be rough.

"Oh that bites, Dude. Sorry for the inconvenience," I spat. I was not in the mood for conversation.

My words must have really pissed him off because, with the force of a Mack truck, I collided with a concrete wall. The bastard threw me across the parking lot! My head pounded even more than when I hit the mini van. Fantastic.

I climbed to my feet, but before I could stand straight completely, the Strigoi was standing over me with a hand around my neck. He lifted me off the ground as if I was as light as feather.

"You really need to watch your mouth. You have no idea who you're talking to," the Strigoi threatened.

I tried to say something snarky, but the hand that was around my throat had cut off my air. My hands were trying, and failing miserably, to pry his fingers off of me. Stars and black spots clouded my vision. Just as the darkness of unconsciousness took me, I felt myself fall to the ground and the heat of flames on my face and arms.

You read in books that people that die are met with a bright light, and people that have passed on surround you and love you. That was not the case for me. I was met by a black, blank place. I looked around scared half out of my wits. But as my eyes got used to the poor lighting, I saw that I was not in some black void in space, I was in a wooded area. The blackness became grey and smoky and tree trunks appeared all around me.

"Hello?" I called only to be greeted by echoes. Great, I'm alone and probably dead. "Anyone there?" I called again.

"I'm here, Lux," a man's voice answered me. I spun around to see a guy that was bout my age with red hair looking down at me.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded.

**I know i left it with a cliff hanger so don't hate me! I also thought that Mason being there for Lux while she's unconscious would be better than her wandering limbo alone. Tell me what you think ! -SagWarrior**


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm Mason Ashford."

I stared at Mason. The Mason? Uncle Mason? Died in Spokane, best friends with Uncle Eddie and Mom, and had a thing for Mom back at the Academy Mason? I must have had a funny look on my face because Mason laughed out loud.

"I guess your mom talks about me?" he asked.

I nodded my head, "You're Uncle Mason?"

"Yeah, I guess I am," he chuckled.

"Well it's about time I got to meet you. Mom and Uncle Eddie talk about you a lot," I said crossing my arms.

"I figured as much. They had a tight connection with me before I died," he nodded.

"If you're dead, what are you doing here?" I asked bluntly. I was glad that I wasn't alone, don't get me wrong, but it was weird having him of all people here.

"I've been watching you and your mom from time to time. I just happened to be checking in when the Strigoi attacked," he explained.

"Mom said that you moved on, gone into the light. How are you here in this," I gestured around the fog, "place?"

"Because I crossed over, I can come into Limbo sometimes. That's where we are: Limbo. The in between I guess you can call it. You aren't dead, but your mind isn't really in your body," he shrugged.

"So I'm in a coma?" I asked. This was getting a little to weird.

"For lack of a better word, yes. But I'm not here to chat, I'm here to show you something. Your Aunt Lissa's mom, Rhea, asked me to show you since it does involve you and your future." Mason started to walk deeper into the fog.

I scrambled behind him, "Wait! You're going to show me something? This fog is too thick to see three feet in front of us!"

Mason shook his head and chuckled, "I have my ways of showing you things that don't involve the fog. The fog is the regular setting of Limbo."

I thought about that for a moment. I finally just gave up and walked in comfortable silence with Mason leading the way. After walking for about ten minutes, Mason stopped and looked down at me.

"What I'm about to show is important and can be a lot to take in, but it's true nonetheless. Keep an open mind about it and don't get mad at anyone when you get back," he instructed. I nodded silently as he pushed back the fog with his hands to reveal a black space that reminded me of a turned off TV. I watched closely as the black started to form colour.

I saw my mom, Aunt Lissa, Uncle Christian, Uncle Adrian, Tasha, and Dimitri standing around a room. As the picture solidified, I saw that there was a bed and a girl hooked up to an IV and heart monitor lying in the bed. Looking at the picture closer, I saw that the girl was me! Man did I look like crap! My hair was everywhere, my skin was pale, and I had circles under my eyes. I had a bandage above my left eye where my face hit the mini van in the garage, and my right wrist was wrapped as well. Huh? I don't remember that injury.

"That Strigoi got you good, Lux," Mason said sadly. "You hit the wall so hard that you got a concussion, and when he tried to strangle you, you went into the coma."

"What did I do to my wrist?" I asked pointing.

"I think that was from when you fell out of the car," he answered.

"I don't remember that," I sighed.

"The adrenaline doesn't always allow your mind to register your injuries till after the fact," he said.

I nodded and looked back at the scene in front of us. Mom was standing beside the bed and looking at me sleep. Aunt Lissa and Uncle Christian held each other. Tasha sat in a chair near the door of the room with Dimitri standing next to her.

"Rose," Uncle Adrian said in a soft voice from his seat near the window, " she's a tough kid. She'll pull through on her own time. Remember the first time that she fought? She had a major concussion and wanted to play soccer with Lexi!" Mom and I laughed softly at the memory. Mom had to call Uncle Eddie to babysit me so I wouldn't leave the house and go play.

"Yeah I do, but she didn't get knocked out that last time either," Mom sighed. I knew that she was talking this hard, but I could see the pride and love in her eyes when she looked at my sleeping body.

"Ivashkov's right, Rosie," Christian spoke up. "She'll be fine."

"I know Chrissie, but I still worry. She's seventeen!" I had to laugh out loud at Mom's nickname for Uncle Christian. She was always trying to make a joke at the worst possible times.

Everyone was silent for a while until the door to my room opened. I watched as Jace walked in.

"How she doing, Ms. Hathaway?" he asked. Looking at him, I knew that he hadn't slept since the attack. His shaggy hair looked a bit messy and he had circles under his hazel eyes.

"She's stable. She hasn't come out of the coma yet," Mom answered.

"Mind if I stay for a while?" Jace asked.

Mom shook her head, "Not at all."

Jace gave her a small smile and climbed onto my bed. He sat with his back on the footboard and started to massage my right ankle.

"You got yourself a nice guy there, Lux," Mason whispered. I looked up to see him smiling at me.

"Yeah, he's great. I love him," I smiled back.

We turned our attention back to the hospital room where Dr. Olenski had just walked in with a clipboard in hand. "Rose, can I see you for a moment? I just need to know what happened."

Mom nodded and followed Dr. Olenski, but not before the doc. threw the clipboard onto the bedside table next to my bed. The door clicked shut and everyone sat there silently. After about five minutes, Tasha stood up and grabbed the clipboard. I watched, along with everyone else in the room, as she read the information about me.

"Tasha!" Aunt Lissa chastised.

Tasha didn't seem to hear her. Her head stayed bowed over the papers in her hands. After skimming some more, her head snapped up towards Dimitri. "That little bitch put you as Lux's father!" she screeched.

**Yeah i know it's another cliff hanger, but i'm getting writer's block so i thought that is was the best place to put a chapter break. I hoped you liked it! :) -SagWarrior**


	12. Chapter 12

I stared at Tasha in disbelief. Dimitri Belikov was the mystery sperm donor? How is that even possible? Why had Mom not told me? Why the hell did I have to learn it from Tasha? Why the hell was Tasha even looking at my personal information anyway? I turned to Mason thinking that we'd share the same expression of rage, confusion, and disbelief. Only he wore a knowing look on his face.

"You knew about this?" I asked him incredulously.

"Like I said, I watched you guys every once and I while. I was there when your mom told your Aunt Lissa when she found out that she was pregnant with you," Mason said.

"How come Mom didn't say anything to me?" I asked. My voice was now a whisper but an angry one.

"Did you ever ask who your father was?" he asked me with a look that told me that he knew that I never did.

"No, I didn't. I didn't need one," I answered hugging myself. I turned back to the room where Tasha looked outright pissed, Dimitri, no _Dad, _stood there in shock, and my uncles and aunts looked at Tasha like she was crazy. Jace stared at Tasha with a murderous look in his eyes. He hated when either Mom or I were ridiculed for our single mother/daughter situation.

"Tasha! That is personal information! That doesn't concern you at all!" Uncle Adrian thundered. He jumped out of his chair and started to shake. I knew that he'd have to go get a drink soon.

"It does now! My guardian is involved in this scam!" Tasha shrieked. "This is ridiculous! Dimitri can't be the father to that little brat!" Tasha flung the clipboard down on the bed, which barely missed my wrapped wrist.

"Aunt Tasha!" Uncle Christian exclaimed, "How dare you? That is the second time that you have disrespected Lux in front of me!" He unwound his arms from Aunt Lissa and advanced on his aunt.

"How dare you let this lie take place!" Tasha shot back, "I heard that you were there when she was born so how could you let Rose put Dimitri down for the father?"

"Because it's true." A new voice came into the picture. Everyone, me and Mason included, looked to see the hospital room door open and a very pissed off Rose and a mad Dr. Olenski stood in the doorway. Olenski must have spoken because her mouth opened again. "Ms. Ozera, if you must know, Dimitri is the biological father to Lux. We ran a DNA test after she was born to make sure."

"With what DNA?" Tasha asked.

"Every guardian, after graduation, gives blood and DNA just in case something was to happen. We took a sample from Guardian Belikov and he and Lux share enough alleles that they are related. If you don't believe me, the test is on the clipboard, and since you have no problem looking at private information, I'm sure that looking isn't an issue," Olenski said.

Tasha reached for it, but Dimitri beat her there. He flipped through pages of information and finally stopped at one that must have been the test. He looked down at my body and than up at Rose. "It's true," he breathed.

Tasha snatched the page from his hand. While reading the test, her face paled then turned into rage. "This is impossible! You messed up the test!" she spat at Mom.

"It's not impossible, Tasha," Aunt Lissa stated. "Rose being Shadow-Kissed changed her genes. When I healed her all those years ago, I healed the gene that makes her infertile to dhampirs. Dimitri is her father. Rose hasn't been with anyone but him."

"Well that explains that," I grumbled. I heard Mason chuckle quietly beside me.

"Aunt Tasha, I suggest that you leave before Rose and Jace throw you out. Believe me, they will and I won't stop them," Uncle Christian motioned towards the door.

Tasha looked over at Mom and then over at Jace who had stood up during her tirade. "Fine, but I'm taking my guardian with me," she snapped.

"Actually, I need to talk to Rose," Dimitri said. His guardian mask that had slipped when he read the DNA test was back in place. He stared at my mother with a serious look on his face.

"Fine then. I'll be in my room packing since I'm no longer wanted here," Tasha seethed. Her bright blue eyes flashed as she stormed out of the room.

Jace sat back down besde me and grabbed my hand. He started to rub circles in the back of it. Aunt Lissa looked up at Uncle Christian with a worried look on her face. Uncle Adrian excused himself to get a drink, which everyone could see was much needed. I watched mom look at me and then up at Dimitri, his gaze still on her.

"You wanted to talk. Out in the hallway." Mom spoke in a tone that screamed 'don't mess with me'. She turned on her heel and left with Dimitri fast behind her.

I looked up at Mason, "Can I go back now?" I really didn't want to see anymore of this.

"I don't know. You could have gone back when you first came here," he shrugged. "If you really want to, then I guess you can."

I looked back to my body on the bed and Jace's hand rubbing mine. I wanted to feel his hand on mine and feel his presence near me.

"Yeah, I wanna go back," I said.

"Okay, then go. You have the power to do that," Mason waved towards the scene in front of us. I lifted an eyebrow in question. Mason busted out laughing. "You look so much like your dad when you do that."

I gave him a small smile. As mad as I was at him for leaving Mom and I, it felt good to be compared to him. I never heard that directed towards me before.

"Take it easy on him, okay? His leaving was more Tasha's doing than anything else. He loves you mom. Just give him a chance," Mason said in a soothing tone while patting my shoulder. I nodded and gave him a hug, which he returned.

"Thanks, Uncle Mason," I smiled.

"You're welcome, Kiddo."

When he released me, I turned back to the hospital room in front of us. I closed my eyes and pictured myself on the bed with Jace sitting next to me. I felt a tug from the middle of my chest and I let it pull me back to my body. When I felt a warm, calloused hand rubbing my cold, pale one, I knew I was back.

**Sorry for the short chapter but i'm switching POV's so i thought that this spot would be best to transition. Review please! -SagWarrior **


	13. Chapter 13

**Dimitri**

I looked down at Rose when we got to the waiting room. I tried to read her emotions, but I guess I trained her a little too well when it came to making the guardian mask. Or maybe that came on it's own. Her eyes were guarded and her face completely blank of any emotion.

"Rose," I started, "does Lux know that I'm her father?"

"No she doesn't," she replied. Her voice was neutral. There was no emotion in it at all.

"Why not?" I demanded. I was losing control fast.

"She never asked," Rose answered. Her dark eyes flashed. "She's never needed a father. She's always grown up with Christian, Eddie, and Adrian. When Jace came around, she had him to love her. She's never asked about you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. I was hurt that Lux never needed me. Yes she had other male figures, but not a true father. I should have been there for her and Rose.

"Would you have wanted to know? You left me after telling me that your love for me had faded. Would a daughter really change that? I was not going to let Lux grow up knowing that her father stayed because he felt obligated to. You wouldn't have loved her or me if I told you and made you stay," Rose shouted. Her temper, one that I noticed lately was usually under lock in key, was now unleashing itself on me.

"I still had the right to know! How can you say that I wouldn't have loved her? You know that I wanted a family, Rose!" I yelled.

"That's why you left with Tasha! You would finally have your precious family without worrying about some rogue teenager with a knack for being reckless!" She threw at me.

"Tasha made me leave! She used compulsion on me! If you would have told me that you were pregnant I would have come back in a heartbeat!" I thundered. Remembering that Tasha, my old friend from school, had used compulsion on me to get me on that plan and leave the woman that I truly loved behind hurt like hell.

"Obviously it must not have been too bad. You never came back after you broke through," Rose stated in a lethal, calm voice.

Of course he would play that card. She didn't know that I wanted to come back. She had no idea. Then again, she as right. I was too scared that she wasn't going to take me back after the way I left. I didn't come back out of fear, and I lost everything because of my weakness.

I looked down at Rose. Her beautiful, brown eyes were black with anger. Her full lips were pressed into a thin line. Her small, yet powerful hands were balled up into fists. I knew that one wrong move and those fists could cause some serious damage.

"This conversation is over, Guardian Belikov. I have a daughter to take care of," Rose said in a tired tone. She then turned away from me and went back to the room where, and I couldn't believe that I was saying this, our daughter lied in a hospital bed.

I watched Rose walk away from me again before I left to beat the crap out of a punching bag. Only, when I got to the gym, I found Mia sitting down in the bleachers that lined the room. When she heard the door slam shut behind me, she looked up at me with a sad expression on her face.

"Mia," I nodded to her.

"Dimitri…" she said standing up. She looked nervous as she walked over to me. "Dimitri, you have to understand where Rose is coming from. She lost the love of her life one day, finds out that she's having his baby the next month, and has to raise her for seventeen years alone after. She's been through a lot and what Tasha did was insane." I was about to ask how she knew about the yelling match that ensued after she left but she answered. "Lissa called me when Rose told you about Lux."

I looked away from Mia as she looked down at her hands. Of course Lissa told her. At least I was talking to her and not Eddie.

"Rose still loves you, you know." Mia's shy and timid voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

"Rose loves you. She cried herself to sleep for a few years after Lux was born because she looked so much lie you when she was younger. She would scream in the middle of the night. She'd ask why you had to leave her alone and that she still loves you. Lissa and I stayed over at her place sometimes when it got bad," Mia explained.

"She- She still loves me?" I couldn't wrap my head around that concept. I broke her by leaving her alone with Lux so why and how could she still love me?

"More than you know. She's just mad that she didn't get to tell you and you had to find out about Lux through Tasha. Honestly, that woman could die in a hole for all I care." Mia said. A dark look crept into her eyes when she said Tasha's name.

"I can understand that. I just wish that I had found out sooner. I don't know what I'm going to do now," I sighed in defeat. A small memory slipped to the front of my mind. I had met Rose and Lissa when she was seventeen in Portland. Now, seventeen years later, I am meeting my seventeen-year-old daughter in Pennsylvania. Life sure has a funny way of doing things.

"Do what you thin is best for you, Rose, and Lux. You have two other people to think about now," Mia said wisely.

"When did you become so wise?" I said smiling softly.

"When Rose started teaching Lux Zen life lessons," Mia said. She gave me a small smile and walked out of the gym. Rose taught Lux my old lessons? The thought made my heart flutter.

**Lux**

I heard my mom come back in the room. It was only her, Jace, and I left in the room. Aunt Lissa and Uncle Christian left during Mom and Dimitri's talk and Adrian never returned from his alcohol break. I was somewhat asleep, no longer in the coma, and I think Jace knew that. I had rolled over a bit and he had settled next to me. I felt his arm drape over my waist and his lips kiss my hair every once and a while. I could only imagine the tangles in it now.

"How she doing?" Mom asked. Jace moved a little to answer.

"She's asleep. I think she pulled out of the coma while Lady Ozera had her tantrum. I think she's just trying to sleep to heal herself."

"Okay. Do you want to stay here tonight? I know Olenski won't mind and I think she's mad at me for not telling her about Dimitri," Mom suggested. She was right, I was mad at her, but more at the fact that Dimitri didn't know that I was his. I didn't need a father, but the fact that my father didn't know that I was his daughter kind of bugged me.

"Sure, if you don't mind," Jace answered. I felt his arm tightening around my waist. I wanted to snuggle into his chest, but I needed to fall into a deeper sleep. I let the darkness swallow me and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, it was dark outside: the vampire day. As I became more conscious of my surroundings, I realized that a strong, muscular arm was draped loosely around my hip and a low, soft snore in my ear. I smiled as I remembered that my amazing boyfriend was sleeping beside me.

Careful not to jostle him awake, I rolled over so that my back, which was against his chest, was now facing the door to my room. Looking at Jace's face, I saw just how much he cared about me. His already messy, brown hair was tangled up and fell across his eyes. The circles that I saw with Mason were more prominent. He must have stayed up most of the night watching me sleep.

I reached up and gently brushed the hair off of Jace's face. Unfortunately, this woke him up.

"Wha-?" he mumbled. He removed his arm from my hip as he rubbed his eyes. I smiled softly as he opened his hazel eyes.

"Morning, Sleepy head," I whispered.

Jace looked down at me and smiled softly. "Hey Lux. You're awake."

"Yeah I am, but it looks like it's you that needs the sleep. Go back to your room and get some sleep. I can ask Aunt Lissa to give you the day off," I said.

"No I'm good. I can sleep when I'm dead," Jace chuckled. I loved the feel his chest vibrating under my hands.

"But you'll be dead on your feet today if you don't get some real sleep," I laughed. "What time did you go to bed last night?" I asked, serious now.

"Maybe three? I fell asleep while I was watching you sleep. You know you're kinda beautiful when you sleep. And the talking just adds to your cuteness," Jace smiled. He tapped his finger to my nose.

"Oh God! I talked last night!" I exclaimed. I knew that I did that, but God only knows what I actually said. I buried my head into my pillow.

I felt Jace's chest shake as he laughed. "Nothing too horrible, Lux. Just something about your Uncle Mason showing you something about your mom and Guardian Belikov. And then something about how much you love me."

I peaked up at him, "I talked about Mom and Dimitri? O Lord!" I sighed.

"You aren't mad at her. You're upset about the situation but nothing too horrible. My question is, how did you know about Lady Ozera's tantrum," he looked at me with an expectant look on his face.

"Umm… Uncle Mason kind of showed me," I started. I sat up a little to explain what happened with Uncle Mason. At the end of my story, Jace looked at me with a smile on his face. "What's with the smile?"

"I was just thinking that if your parents are Rosemarie Hathaway and Dimitri Belikov, and they are, then that explains your badassness," he kissed my forehead.

"I know I'm badass. I don't need to be reminded," I laughed.

"Do I hear laughter in here?" Aunt Lissa and Mom poked their heads into the room and smiled at us.

"So what if you did?" I asked. This got a laugh from Aunt Lissa and a smile from Mom.

"How are you feeling, Bud?" she asked.

"Better. I swear that if that wall back at the garage was any harder I might have been in some serious trouble," I joked. Mom shook her head smiling. Aunt Lissa and Jace rolled their eyes at me.

"God, Rose. You've raised a mini you and I don't think my nerves can take much more of that," Aunt Lissa laughed. Everyone joined her as Jace wrapped his arms around me again. I cuddled into his chest.

"Lux, Olenski said that you can come home today," Mom said.

"Hallelujah!" I shouted. I hated hospitals just as much as Mom did. Everyone laughed at me again and Aunt Lissa threw a bag of clothes, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and my converse. Then she followed Mom and Jace out of the room to give me some privacy.

I quickly changed into the jeans, shirt, and shoes and wrestled with my hair. When I was ready, I met Jace in the waiting room and we went back to the condo. We held hands and walked in comfortable silence. After unlocking the door to the condo, Jace led us over to the sofa. We weren't really tired, but we laid together on the sofa. Jace played with my curl hair while I traced random designs on his arm that wrapped around my chest. We stayed that way for what felt like an eternity until I heard the door open and close.

**Who be that at the door? I guess you'll just have to wait and see :) -SagWarrior **


	14. Chapter 14

**Rose**

"Rose," Lissa said as we walked back to her house after seeing Lux, "she's fine. You don't need to worry about her." I knew that she felt my unease even if the bond was one way.

"I know that she's fine. She's my kid!" I said proudly. Lux was just like me, which was a good thing and a bad thing. Both of us at seventeen had a way of always getting into trouble, falling in love with respected guardians, and landing in the hospital every other week. The only thing visible of Dimitri was her eyes and sometimes her mannerisms. She had an odd way of looking stoic sometimes.

"Stop worrying. Tasha's leaving soon and then everything will be fine," Lissa gave my hand a squeeze as we walked into her house.

Christian, Eddie, and Adrian were watching the hockey game while Elena and Mia talked in the kitchen. Both Lissa and I went to the kitchen with the girls.

"So how is Lux?" Elena asked.

"She's fine. Jace was with her all last night and know they are headed back to the condo," I explained.

"God I wish I could meet someone like Jace!" Mia whined. Everyone knew that she was joking because she was happily married to Eddie.

"Jace is a good match for her," Elena added. "He keeps her controlled for the most part."

"I know, that's the only reason I let him stay around," I teased. Everyone at Court could see how much those two were in love.

We kept on chatting about the life and random tidbits of gossip when Dimitri came down the stairs. I looked at him once and then turned to leave. I went into the living room just in time to see the Nashville Predators score a goal against the Washington Capitals. All the guys cheered.

_Rose, he's just upset. Don't give him the cold shoulder for something that he didn't have control over. Yes, he could have come back, but you know that dhampirs have a hard time breaking compulsion._ Lissa said in my head. I shook my head just enough for her to get the message that I was not in the mood to discuss what happened last night. After watching the game a little bit more, I said good bye to Lissa and everyone and headed home. The walk wasn't too far, but it was enough to clear my head of all the confusing thoughts that fluttered in and out.

I opened the door to the condo and went to the kitchen. I poured myself a mug of coffee and popped it into the microwave to heat it up. I put my elbows on the island and let my head fall forward. I felt like crying but I never got the chance, because of two teenagers.

I had just lifted my head up when Jace and Lux popped up from behind the counter, scaring the living hell out of me. I jumped about ten feet in the air and landed on my ass. Lux was on her back laughing so hard she couldn't breath. Jace was doing better and leaning on the island for support, but still laughing just as hard as Lux was. I stayed on the floor breathing hard when the door opened and revealed a tall, handsome Russian that looked at us like we'd lost our minds.

**Dimitri**

Walking up to Rose and Lux's house, I heard a scream and then outright laughter. Ignoring the laughter, I burst into the condo looking for whoever caused the scream and the danger. Only, what I found surprised me.

Lux was the first person I saw. She was on her back with her arms wrapped around her waist. She was laughing so hard tears streamed out of her eyes and into her crazy curly, brown hair that was fanned out on over the floor. The next person I found was Jace Warren: Lux's boyfriend I found out. He was holding onto the edge of the counter for dear life. His head was bent over, letting his shaggy hair fall in his eyes. He was laughing just as hard as Lux was.

Rose, I found last. She was sitting on the kitchen floor with a stunned look on her face. I decided that the scream came from her. She looked from Lux and Jace to me. Then she surprised me. Her stunned look turned to a smile then laughter.

"Comrade…Your face…It's priceless!" Rose said between laughs. I felt my face relax and turn into a stunned one. Rose called me Comrade. I used to hate that name, but hearing it from her now made my heart swell up.

"Sorry, but I heard you scream and I came in," I admitted. I felt my cheeks burn. My answer made Lux laugh even harder.

"Geez Mom! You got yourself a knight in shining leather!" I looked down at myself and noticed my duster.

"Lux, don't tease your mom," Jace chasticed. He was smiling down at her with a loving look in his eyes. I had worked with Jace's father, Matthew, when we were Russia. His charge, a Badica, had a meeting with mine before I came to the States. Matthew and I kept in touch and I knew he had a son with a non-royal Moroi. I just didn't realize that his son was in a relationship with my daughter. Again, funny how life does that to a person.

"Just stating a fact," Lux answered. She had calmed down and was just laying on the floor with her hands above her head.

Jace shook his head and reached down to help her up. She obliged and jumped up off the floor.

"So," Lux said turning to me, "you are my father."

"Yes I am," I answered. I wasn't surprised that she found out about Tasha's outburst the other night.

"Cool. That explains some things," Lux said nonchalantly.

"Like what?" I asked. I looked between her and Rose who had picked her self up off the floor and was leaning against the island.

"Like this," Lux said lifting an eyebrow. I gave her a questioning look. "Mom never could do that. I apparently have a knack for Zen Life Lessons when I have an odd day. I have super dark eyes that are not my mother's. I also have a habit of being 'stoic' as Mom calls it," Lux ticked off.

I looked at my daughter closely. She did have the same dark brown/black eyes as my sister Sonya and mother had. I could see Rose very loudly in Lux, but there were small hints of me in there.

"I an accept that," I answered with a small smile on my face. I then took a huge gamble and looked at Rose and then at Lux. "Are you mad at me for not being here for you?"

Lux looked at Rose and turned to me, "Not really. I know that Mom has her reasons for not telling either of us and to be honest, that doesn't really matter to me. Sure I'm a little pissed off at Tasha for what she did but that's to be expected. Crap happens."

In that moment, I saw myself in her so much it was shocking. She had controlled her temper enough and had her guardian mask on so tightly that it reminded me of myself. Her tone and the way she said what she did was all Rose.

"Wow," Jace said. "That has got to be the most unforgivable speech you have ever made, Lux."

"I have my moments thank you very much, Mr. Warren," Lux smiled as she threw an elbow back. It was meant for his ribs but he dodged it easily. Something told me that he was going to have to stay on his A-game if he stayed with Lux.

"Well don't just stand there, Comrade. Come on in and close that door behind you," Rose ordered. I looked at her face and saw a bit of a smile there. I did what she asked and went back to the kitchen where Rose was standing by herself.

"Rose, I am sorry for not being here for seventeen years. I was scared that you would never take me back. I wanted a family, and Tasha could have given it to me, but I wanted a family with you. I love you, Rose. You have to know that. I love you and that girl in the living room with Warren. You two are my world and I swear that I will never leave you two again," I said. All the emotions about her and Lux came rushing out. I couldn't stop the words from coming out.

Rose came and stood before me, "Thank you for your apology, I really do. I shouldn't have been so short with you earlier. I was just mad that Tasha had to open her mouth and say it before I did." Rose stopped talking and reached down to grab my hand. She held it in hers softly. "Dimitri, Lux needs her daddy just as much as I need him. Our last name was not meant to stay Hathaway forever. Biologically, Lux's last name was meant to be Belikov. And… And I was hoping that mine would be as well…one day," she whispered.

I looked down at Rose. She was beautiful, strong, and passionate. She had forgiven me for my mistakes seventeen years ago and now I had the love of my life and a daughter to go with her. I was so happy. I leaned down to kiss Rose when I heard Lux scream.

"Holy shit!"

**Okay! Please don't hate me for making Rose forgive Dimitri so quickly and for the cliff hanger. It will be worth it!... I hope. Please Read and Review! :) -SagWarrior**


	15. Chapter 15

**Lux**

"Holy Shit!" I screamed. I pushed Jace away from the sofa that had burst into flames. The flames quickly started to envelope everything in sight.

"Lux!" I heard Mom scream. I spun around to find her, but I couldn't see through the smoke that was building up fast. Something in the back of my mind told me that this fire was from a fire user, and of course Tasha came to mind.

"Lux! Get down!" Jace yelled over the roar of the fire. I felt his hand grab my wrist, the one that was still wrapped, and pull me down to the ground. I fell on my hands and knees beside Jace. He led the way over to the front door, but we were stopped when we heard Mom's voice.

"No! Don't go over there!" she screamed.

Just as she had warned us, the ceiling right in front of the door fell in. Jace jumped on me and shielded my face from the embers that flew into the air.

"Lux! Warran! Are you okay?" I heard Dimitri call out.

"Yeah, we're good!" Jace hollered. He grabbed my ankle and together we crawled over to the window in the living room. I heard glass shatter ahead of us and Dimitri yell at Mom to go. He must have busted the window that we were heading towards.

Jace and I crawled back to the living room. The fire had now filled the entire room and the smoke was suffocating. I heard Jace cough ahead of me and I started to tear up. We kept crawling until Jace stood up. We must have reached the window. I crawled a little farther, but was stopped when I felt a sharp pain in my hand. I looked down and saw glass all over the floor. I ignored it and stood up myself.

"Lux come on!" Jace yelled. I pushed up on the window seal to hoist myself up and out of the burning building.

I fell the four feet to the ground and landed on my stomach. I stayed where I was, face first in the grass until I felt a set of strong hands pick me up and cry me away from the building.

"What the hell are you doing?" I shouted.

"I'm getting you out of the way," Dimitri said.

"Well I can walk!" I said fidgeting. He finally set me down when he figured that he wasn't going to win.

I looked around when I was set on my feet. The house was now burning brightly into the night. Mom, Dimitri, Jace and I stood at the edge of the woods behind the condo. Dimitri held my mom tightly while she looked incredulously at the remains of our house. Off in the distance, I heard Aunt Lissa and Unle Christian running towards us.

"Rose!" Aunt Lissa sreamed when she reached us. "Rose! Are you guys okay?" Aunt Lissa looked at all of us for injuries. She looked down at my hand and gasped. "Lux! What happened?" She grabbed my hand that was now almost completely covered in blood. I could feel the glass in the wound.

"I must have gotten it from when the window busted," I said. Aunt Lissa took it in her hands and healed it. The glass fell to the grass in front of my feet.

"What happened?" Uncle Christian asked. Boy did he look pissed!

"Lux and I were just sitting in the living room when the sofa burst into flames," Jace answered. His arm wound around m shoulders when he said my name.

"It had to be from a fire user. There was no way that anything else could make that much fire explode from no where that fast," I added. I watched Uncle Christian's eyes darken. I knew that he didn't like where this was going.

"Chris," Aunt Lissa said, "is it possible that it was Tasha?"

"It was Tasha. I talked to her last ight and she was pissed. I should have known that she was going to pull this kind of a stunt." Uncle Christian looked at Aunt Lissa with a look that was a mix of hate, guilt, and rage.

"Well that doesn't matter now," Mom said. "What matters now is that everyone is out of the house and safe. Lux and I still have clothes at your house, Lissa, that we can use. We can get another apartment later."

Dimitri looked at Mom for a second before speaking. "Actually, I'm staying here. I was wondering if you and Lux would move in with me. Maybe we can give this family thing another shot since I messed up the first time."

Mom and I exchanged a look of wonder and disbelief. Had he really just asked us to let him into our family? I ran over to him and hugged him. Mom's arms that were already around his waist tightend.

"Sure, Dad. I think that can be arranged," I smiled. Dimitri smiled hugely when I called him dad. Mom smiled too, but hers was directed towards Dimitri and it was ful of love. We were actually going to be a family.

**Importane AN!: ****Ladies and Gentlemen, this is most likely the last chapter of story content! The next one is the epilogue. I hope you don't hate me too much for ending the story but it has run its course and i think that the epilogue will make you guys happy. Please read it when I get it uploaded and tell me what you think of the story as a whole. :)- SagWarrior**


	16. Ten Years Later

**Ten years later**

**Lux**

Ten years. That's how long it's been since the fire that brought my family together. Shortly after the blaze was put out, Tasha was found in the Court garages trying to escape. She confessed to everything and she was charged with arson and attempted manslaughter. She was then locked away with a sentence of fifteen to life.

Mom and Dad soon got married after the trial and stayed at Court. Dad was assigned to Uncle Christian so my parents got to see each other a lot. We, as a family, eventually went to Russia to see my grandmother, aunts, and cousins. It was good to meet my family and connect with them. My uncles and aunts at Court welcomed Dad back into the family with ease. It was like he never left.

Uncle Eddie and Aunt Mia had a son, Mason Anthony, the same year as the fire. He looks so much like his mother it was scary. Mom keeps making jokes about how much of a doll he looks like.

The Dragomir-Ozera family is just as annoying as ever. Aunt Lissa is still a little overprotective over Summerlynn and Seth, but that was to be expected. Seth has just graduated college and his engaged to his long time girlfriend, Annie. Everyone loves her and she fits into the family perfectly. Summerlynn just graduated from the Hell Academy and will be going to Lehigh in the fall.

Uncle Adrian and Aunt Elena had another baby a year after the fire. Elizabeth is Katherine's total opposite. Where Katherine is lazy and happy go lucky, Elizabeth is active and attentive. Lizzie looks just like Rine and that gets everyone confused if they sit side by side.

Lexi and I are still friends. We graduated the same year as the fire like we were expected to do. Lexi then turned around and married her boyfriend, Jackson, an Earth using Moroi. They had twin boys, Davis and Eric, when we were twenty and they were expecting a little girl this winter.

As for me, after graduation, I became Lexi's guardian for three years until she moved to New York with Jackson and the boys. After that, I took a sabbatical. The work was stressful and I had to take a break. Over that break, Jace proposed and we got married in the Spring, four years after the fire. Aunt Lissa pulled some strings after the honeymoon and made me and Jace ambassadors for the American Court. We traveled all around the world going to guardian meetings and training at various academies.

After a couple years of traveling, we moved back to Court permanently to teach at the academy there. I ended up getting pregnant, at the age of twenty-three, with our first child in the first year of teaching. Mom, Jace, Aunt Lissa, and I figured that the gene that Aunt Lissa healed in the car crash was passed down to me, allowing me to have kids as well. That odd twist in genetics led to the birth of Paige Janine Warren. Two years later, I had Allsyon Rose Warren.

Jace and I are planning on raising our girls to be badass guardians like our parents did with us. Now at the tender ages of four and two, both girls are our world. Paige and Allyson are the best little girls that anyone could ask for. They are amazing.

Paige is a lot like me. Her long, dark brown hair hangs in loose curls, and complements her hazel eyes. She inherited the Hathaway temper and sarcasm. But unlike me, she is a huge daddy's girl.

Allyson is different. She has her father's hair colour and my black, Russian eyes. She is that calm, cool, and collected person that Jace is. Only every once in a while does her temper flare and when it does, it can just as bad as my tantrums used to be.

Today was Christmas and everyone was over at Aunt Lissa's. The kids are running a muck around the house while the older adults talk in the kitchen, dinning room, and living room. I'm sitting on the sofa with Jace beside me, his arm is around my shoulders. We watch Allyson play with her new baby toys and Paige talk to Summerlynn who is opening the box of a new Barbie for Elizabeth.

"So, is this what you pictured when you thought about a family?" Jace asks me. I look up at him and smile.

"No, this is much better than I pictured," I smile. I lean up and kiss him just as Paige and Ally jump into our laps.

"Mommy! No kissing!" Paige squeals. Her laughing sets Ally off and then Jace and I. Mom and Dad come walking in and smile at us.

"What are you laughing at?" Mom asks.

"Mommy was kissing Daddy!" Paige laughs.

"Well we can't have that now can we?" Mom asks as she picks my daughter up out of my lap.

"Nana! Put my down!" Paige giggles. Mom just passes her to Dad who begins to tickle to the squirming four-year-old.

"Dimitri! Stop torturing your granddaughter!" Aunt Lissa laughs. She stands in front of us with a camera in hand.

"Oh no!" Jace exclaims, "Lissa has a camera!"

"And I'm not afraid to use it, Warren!" Aunt Lissa threatens. "Now, Dimitri, give Paige back to Lux and step back. It's picture time!"

Dad gives me Paige back and she shifts so that she sits comfortably in my lap. Ally moves in Jace's grasp and we all smile. Aunt Lissa snaps the picture and gives it to me too look at.

"It's perfect," I say. And it is. I have the perfect husband, with the two most perfect daughters, with a bunch of perfect people around me that love me. My life is perfect. At this point in my story, I would say, 'And they lived happily ever after'. But no, instead I'll say, "And Lux, Jace, Paige, and Allyson live in perfect happiness while kicking Strigoi ass every once in a while".

Fin

**Thanks guys for reading and reviewing my story! i had a great time writing this on and really loved reading your reviews! I'm working on another story that is already uploaded and maybe another D/R one so look for that soon! Love you guys! -SagWarrior**


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